Ginny Brown-Waite

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate ``Boomtown'' days in Dunnellon in my Fifth Congressional District of Florida. This festival is held each year in Dunnellon to celbrate the history behind how the city of Dunnellon came to be. Mr. Speaker, the story of how Dunnellon came to be is an interesting one, but not atypical of a town formed in the late 1880's in this country. Dunnellon was created in 1887 and then saw its population boom in 1889 affer phosphate was discovered there. The mining industry then ``boomed'' in the town and was responsible for the town's rapid growth and prosperity. Dunnellon was then dubbed a ``Boomtown.'' Each year, the city celebrates its heritage with a festival offering fun activities, contests, and parades for the people of Dunnellon. This weekend, the residents of the city will carry on the tradition of celebrating ``Boomtown days.'' I wish them the best and am proud to honor them in this Chamber today.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Crystal River Middle School Cheerleaders, from my Fifth Congressional District of Florida, for winning the national championship in their division at a competition held in Orlando last month. The competition hosted more than 200 cheerleading squads from across the nation and truly was a venue for the best of the best to showcase their talents. These seventh and eighth grade girls captured the top honors in the small school division and brought to Citrus County the first national championship trophy of any school, in any sport--ever. The squad of 14 girls, led by Head Coach Irene Hupp and Assistant Coach Terry Yant, has made the city of Crystal River, all of Citrus County and the entire state of Florida very proud. I am immensely proud of them as well. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honor Amanda Bass, Marlana Camden, Tiffany Daniel, Nicole Davis, Katie Dicks, Sabrina Gonzales, Brittany Jones, Amber Lunginsland, Amanda Mayor, Alyssa Parker, Hailey Roberts, Jilica Smith, Jacke Vivian, and Kylee Zarro. They have accomplished a remarkable feat and deserve every accolade sent their way. I am proud to honor them before this body this evening and am proud to have such motivated hard working young people call my district home.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate an important historical anniversary in Sumter County, Florida, in my Fifth Congressional District. Sumter County recently turned 150 years old and the people of the area celebrated this anniversary in true Sumter-County style this past weekend. I was pleased to be a part of the events and join some of my constituents in celebrating this milestone in the county's history. Sumter County first appeared on Florida's map on January 8, 1853 after State legislation called for its creation from a portion of Marion County, its neighbor to the north. Today, a century and a half later, Sumter County is home to more than 54,000, Floridians and that number is growing rapidly. But rapid growth won't change what Sumter County is known for--its sense of community. Home to warm people and, as in the rest of Florida, warm weather, thousands of new residents move to Sumter County each year and find a home in what we've known for sometime to be one of the best places in the country to live. I congratulate the residents, the municipalities and the businesses of Sumter County as they recognize this important anniversary. I wish them 150 more years of growth, development and prosperity.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the South Lake Memorial American Legion Auxiliary #55 on their Anniversary. Sixty-six years ago this Auxiliary was founded by the brave veterans of World War I and has been serving their community ever since. Most recently, they were recognized as one of the strongest promoters of the ``Spinoza Bear Program''. This is a compassionate crusade that brings a smile to thousands of grieving children. Their commitment to public service is renewed every year as they sponsor two young women to attend Girl's State, a wonderful program that has been developed to foster political activism in our nation's youth. They are involved in countless other activities that promote community involvement by their members. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call the men and women of the South Lake Memorial American Legion constituents, and I ask that you join with me today to congratulate them on their service to our nation.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to commend the Wall-Rives American Legion Post 58. They are celebrating 75 years of dedicated service to the honorable veterans residing in Dunnellon, Florida. On March 3, 1927, the American Legion Post 58 was issued a temporary charter from Department Headquarters in Palatka, Florida. They started out in 1927 with 15 members. Since then they have grown to . . . members through the hard work and dedication of their committed members. American Legion Post 58 was christened ``Wall-Rives Post 58'' on May 26, 1947 in honor of Winchester Wall and Hugh Rives, two brave soldiers and residents of the area, who lost their lives during WWII, in the Bataan Death March. The memory of these dedicated servicemen has been honored throughout the years by the members of the Legion as they continue the legacy of service to their community. Mr. speaker, I am proud of the service that members of Wall-Rives Post 58 have rendered to our great nation in their 75 year history and I ask you to join with me in thanking them for their service.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the nurses at the Woodland Terrace Nursing Home in my home District of Florida. As you all know, this is national nurses week and I am privileged to speak on behalf of the many talented nurses at Woodland Terrace. The Fifth District of Florida, and in fact the entire State of Florida, has a large and growing population of senior citizens. I firmly believe that seniors are one of our nation's most valuable assets. We will be judged on how well we care for our seniors. The nurses at Woodland Terrace have not shied away from this important responsibility. I continue to be impressed with the quality of care at Woodland Terrace; a standard which is largely attributable to the nurses who work there. At a time when many analysts are predicting a nursing shortage in the near future, it is critical that the nursing workforce be given proper commendation for continual hard work and dedication to what can seem like a thank-less profession. With that, I offer my most sincere thank you to the nurses at Woodland Terrace for a job well done!

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the accomplishments and character of a great American, a great friend and a constituent of mine, Judge Burrell Merritt. Burrell celebrated his 61st birthday this weekend and I was pleased to be a part of the celebration honoring him. A lifelong resident of Brooksville, a graduate of Hernando High School, and a lawyer educated at the University of Florida, Burrell is a true Floridian and an outstanding lawyer and community leader. In 1968 he joined the Richard E. McGee law firm as an associate and later that year he became a municipal judge for the City of Brooksville. In 1970 he became a partner in his own law firm, McGee and Merritt. In 1985, he was named a partner of a new firm, Merritt, High, Underwood & Eppley and in 1985 he was made senior partner in the Merritt and Mason firm. In 1998 after thirty years practicing law, Burrell became a Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit serving Hernando County. He currently works with civil, family law, probate and child support enforcement cases. He is a member of the Hernando County Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association and the American Bar Association and numerous other civic and social organizations, serving a leadership role in many of them. His skills and talent as a law professional have been recognized by numerous groups and associations. He has received a plethora of awards and accolades for his diligent work both as an attorney, judge and community member. Aside from his accomplishments in his legal profession, Judge Merritt is also a Cattle Rancher. He operated the very successful Merritt Farm and Livestock Company in Brooksville. Mr. Speaker it is easy to see why I am so proud of his accomplishments and why they are worthy of recognition on the floor of this body.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Green Isle Children's Ranch in my Fifth Congressional District of Florida. At this center, a group of dedicated, hard-working, caring individuals has been working for more than 15 years to better the lives of at-risk children. The Green Isle Children's Ranch was founded in 1987 by men and women who had worked within the prison system and had seen the great need to prevent children from entering the vicious cycle of detention home, jail, and prison. The Ranch is an interfaith outreach center that helps at-risk children and troubled families. It houses, counsels, educates and spiritually nurtures troubled and at-risk children from ages 6-15. Most are emotionally handicapped; some suffer from such conditions as attention deficit disorder, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Most have been verbally abused and some physically or sexually abused. All have considerable inner emotional turmoil and anger and almost all are the products of broken homes. The Mission of the Green Isle Children's Ranch is a noble one. It seeks to provide a residential program for at-risk children; to counsel, educate, and spiritually nurture them, and to provide parenting classes and guidance for each child's family. The ranch serves as a resource for troubled families, providing advice, counseling and a sympathetic ear. In addition, the Green Isle Children's Ranch networks with community organizations, such as local churches, Big Brothers, YMCA, other children's facilities, civic clubs, and community organizations, to expand upon the resources available to them as they strive to better the lives of children. Green Isle uses a caring approach to help at-risk children, which was developed by Dr. Jack Lynd at the Edgewood Children's Ranch in Orlando. Counselors at the center work with each child's family, without regard to race, creed, national origin, or ability to pay-and they do it all without accepting tax money. Mr. Speaker I am proud of the work done by the Green Isle Foundation. I'm proud to have such a facility in my district and I'm proud to say that because of this organization, so many children in my Fifth District of Florida have been positively affected. Their work is to be commended and their cause is so very honorable. I salute, the dedication and care with which Florida's at-risk children are being treated and I salute the Green Isle Children's Ranch.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the work of a few historians in my Fifth Congressional District of Florida. The hard work and detailed research of these individuals resulted in a gravesite in the Brooksville City Cemetery in my district being designated as a Historical Landmark in the State of Florida. The oldest gravesite in the Brooksville City Cemetery belongs to a woman named Charlotte Wynn Pyles Crum who was a member of an early Florida pioneering family and was killed shortly after the close of the Second Seminole Indian War. Ms. Crum was traveling in the Brooksville area in 1842 along with her daughter and granddaughter when their group was fired upon by a band of Seminole Indians who were unaware of the war's end. All survived the attack except for Ms. Crum, whose death received sensationalized attention. After much research about Ms. Crum's unusual death, the Division of Historical Resources within the Florida Department of State declared Ms. Crum's gravesite a Historical Landmark. At a ceremony this weekend, the cemetery will unveil a plaque in honor of the gravesite's distinction. The Brooksville City Cemetery is in its own right a historical site because it is the final resting place for soldiers killed in the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and other national conflicts. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in honoring the cemetery, the work of the Florida Historical Resources Division and all those who made this weekend's dedication possible and brought Ms. Crum's gravesite the distinction it deserves.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of a great American who died last month after 113 years of life. At the time of his death John McMorran of Lakeland, FL, which lies partially in my Fifth Congressional District, was the oldest living American man and the fourth-oldest person in the world. Born June 19, 1889, in a Michigan log cabin, John McMorran considered coffee his elixir and quit cigars at the tender age of 97. He retired at 84 after working in a munitions factory, delivering milk, and delivering mail and moved to Florida to enjoy his retirement. More than 30 years later he was still enjoying life, friends, and his family, who all said he was a happy man who lived a great life. Mr. McMorran had a 59-year-old grandson and a 35-year-old great- granddaughter and one great-great-grandson! He was born the year that the Oklahoma Land Rush took place, 14 when the Wright Brothers made their historic first flight at Kitty Hawk, and too old for the draft in World War I. Mr. McMorran was there for all the advancements and innovations of the Twentieth Century. He knew life before and after cars, before and after electricity in homes, before and after computers, cell phones, the Internet. After 113 years of life there's not much he missed out on. I am proud to speak before the House today about John McMoffan and commemorate his long, successful life.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Heart of Florida Girl Scout Troop 378 in Citrus County, FL for their service to the community and to the people of my district. The troop recently learned about the importance of voting and about the functions of American government as part of the ``I-Count'' Voter Education program and each Troop Member participating in the program received a patch upon completion. Mr. Speaker, as you may know, those in the Girl Scout program measure their accomplishments and award merit based on the number of patches they accumulate. As part of earning this patch, the girls studied intently and listened to a speech I gave about the importance of voting--and how one vote can be the deciding factor in some instances. It was when I spoke to the girls and had the chance to meet them and hear about all they had done in the community that I realized the tremendous amount of work they had done and their intense dedication to the Girl Scout program. Mr. Speaker, let me briefly mention just a few of the things this group of girls has done throughout their years of involvement with this program. As Daisies the girls learned to do crafts and learned the Girl Scout promise. They went on campouts, marched in parades and sang at Surry Place Nursing home. As Brownies, the troop went to nursing homes to sing, volunteered at various events and continued to appear in local parades. As Juniors, they collected old, unused cell phones to benefit battered women, helped at the local ``Relay for Life,'' which benefits the American Cancer Society, and presented the local volunteer firefighters with cookies to thank them for their work in the community. Now that the girls are Cadets they are still collecting cell phones and will be continuing their involvement in the ``Relay for Life'' program. This past Holiday Season they ``Gift Adopted'' a local under- privileged girl, and donated money and new gifts to make her Christmas brighter. Currently they are saving the proceeds from the sale of their Girl Scout cookies for a trip to Savanna, GA to see where Juliette Gordon Low, the Girl Scout founder, was born. Amber Auth, Nicole Bruno, Melissa Fonczak, Emily Stanton, Rebecca Rose, Kimberly Carbonari, Rebecca Morse, along with troop leader Mimi Rose and assistant troop leader Nora Auth, deserve to be commended for their service and dedication. I am proud to have them as my constituents and am honored to be their representation in Congress.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chris Kellerman, a veteran of the Vietnam War who has been awarded the Bronze Star in recognition of his bravery and notorious achievement during ground operations against hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam. The Bronze Star Medal was established by Executive Order in 1944 and is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguishes himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service. Staff Sergeant Kellerman earned his medal by venturing into unknown territory and taking a risk that he did not have to take, possibly saving the lives of several of his fellow soldiers. A testament to his dedication to our Armed Forces and his drive to always succeed, Staff Sergeant Kellerman achieved his rank in the Army in record time, rising to his position of leadership in two years time. During his service in Vietnam from January 1968 through March 1969, his heroism was undeniable, as his acts of bravery during battle earned him not only the respect of his comrades and military honors. Staff Sergeant Keller proved his dedication to his country and was honored only recently by the Defense Department with the medal he earned. I am proud to be able to honor him today on the floor of this body and am proud to call Staff Sergeant Kellerman a constituent and, Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in thanking him for his service to this country.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas Sacco, a veteran of World War II. After waiting 58 long years, he has finally been awarded the Purple Heart that he earned as a young private while serving his country in Europe. Private Sacco was barely 18 years old when he volunteered to serve as a paratrooper in the famous and sometimes feared 101st Airborne division. He was wounded in the town of Noville, Belgium. As his outfit advanced toward the Axis Army he was struck by shrapnel in his left arm and back and rendered unconscious. 58 years later his heroism and sacrifice is being recognized by the United States Government. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call Thomas Sacco a constituent and I ask you to join with me in thanking him for his service.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues in the House to support a real jobs and economic growth package. It is time to bring much-needed stimulus to our economy and to bring renewed hope to American workers. There are currently several million Americans actively looking for work and unable to find it. For those individuals and those families, it is imperative that we do all that we can to put this willing, able and well-qualified workforce to work. We must provide the means for economic growth and job creation. That is what creates jobs. We need to put more money in the hands of American workers to spend and invest so that jobs can be created. When individuals have more disposable income, they spend it or invest it, and that improves the situation of businesses. When businesses have more money at their disposal, they can expand and hire more people. Tax relief creates jobs. It is that simple. The more people we have working, the more money we will see spent and invested in this country. The more money we see spent and invested in this country, the quicker the economy will rebound. The quicker the economy rebounds, the better off we will all be.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I rise, first of all, to commend the gentleman from Delaware for the very hard work and the dedication he has for improving education for special needs children. I have some concerns about the bill, and I bring them up because I hope they will be addressed in conference. Number one, I read through the bill and spoke to staff. It does not seem to have any mechanism in there to inform parents of services that actually are available to them for their children. The second concern that I have is that a parent might choose a 3-year IEP because of a misunderstanding or being misinformed by the school district. We must ensure that parents are not intimidated by school districts into agreeing to a 3-year IEP when, indeed, there needs to be more follow-up for many students. And, third, we need to make sure that there are not any retaliation tactics that may occur at some school districts. Parents tell me that very often they fear retaliation. I would encourage the sponsor of the bill to make sure that these considerations are taken in when they do the conference.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas Sacco, a veteran of World War II. After waiting 58 long years, he has finally been awarded the Purple Heart that he earned as a young private while serving his country in Europe. Private Sacco was barely 18 years old when he volunteered to serve as a paratrooper in the famous and sometimes feared 101st Airborne division. He was wounded in the town of Noville, Belgium. As his outfit advanced toward the Axis Army he was struck by shrapnel in his left arm and back and rendered unconscious. 58 years later his heroism and sacrifice is being recognized by the United States Government. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call Thomas Sacco a constituent and I ask you to join with me in thanking him for his service.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the budget that we have before us today is one that we should all be proud of. What we are doing is, we are keeping our promise on education aid. Education aid is up, over 6 percent over the 2003 level. Pell Grants are up 12 percent. And, Mr. Speaker, particularly in my district, where I have a large number of veterans, it is very important that the veterans understand that we are $6.2 billion over the fiscal year 2003 figures. That is a 10.7 percent increase. And in discretionary spending, which is health care, where there is a long wait in my State on Priority 8, where veterans are having to wait up to 18 months for service; we are increasing that amount by 12.9 percent. We are keeping our promise on education. We are able to provide the veterans benefits that are necessary, and we also are making sure that the uninsured at least have a start and a chance at having some insurance. Children's health care, which is very important in every single State, whether it is called SCHIP in some States, or we called it KidCare, it is up by $14 billion, a 9 percent increase. Sure, we had to postpone when we balanced the budget to 9 years, but we are at war, we have a downturn in the economy, and this budget answers what I believe the majority of the constituents in the State of Florida absolutely need. What it does is it also protects Medicare and puts additional funding into Medicare of 7.7 percent more. That is a responsible budget, and that is one that I can go home very proudly and tell people that these are the figures that we have in our budget while still insisting that every agency go after fraud, waste and abuse. That is responsibility, my colleagues.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. I rise today in very strong support of the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2003. This very critical legislation increases the standard maximum deposit coverage from $100,000 to $130,000, and then indexes the increase every 5 years to account for inflation. However, most importantly to the seniors in my district, H.R. 522 calls for a doubling of the maximum deposit coverage for retirement accounts. This would allow seniors to maintain coverage on up to $260,000 in their retirement accounts. The amendment offered today would strike this coverage without doing it for any good reason. The increases are modest and necessary in this bill. If the coverage limit actually had been keeping pace with inflation, today the standard limit would be about $200,000. This bill proposes an increase to only $130,000. The FDIC is in great need of these commonsense reforms, and I urge my colleagues to join with me in support of H.R. 522 and to oppose any amendment that would strike the coverage increases.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 743.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell my colleagues about a bill I introduced 2 days ago. It is H.R. 1511. The purpose is to honor British Prime Minister Tony Blair with a Congressional Gold Medal. Mr. Blair is a true ally and friend to this country and has shown incredible leadership, resolve, and solidarity with the United States in recent months. I thank him for his friendship, and I want to honor his commitment and contribution to this country by bestowing him with this honor. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievement and contributions to the United States that Congress can offer to any individual. The Congressional Gold Medal of Honor was originally created by this body in 1776 to recognize military leaders, and the first recipient was George Washington. Since that time, the award has evolved to include world leaders and humanitarians as well. Great Britain has long been one of America's closest friends and staunchest allies. I thank the Prime Minister and Great Britain for the loyalty, resolve, and support they have shown throughout this most recent conflict. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to pay tribute to a great man and a great leader.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 118, sponsored by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), urging the Iraqi government and military to treat our troops humanely and our POWs also in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Our prisoners of war should be protected by the standards the Geneva Conventions outline, which prohibit persons engaged in warfare from humiliating, televising or harming prisoners of war. Mr. Speaker, we probably all remember the news stories about our POWs from the conflict in Afghanistan at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The POWs there were made to kneel; and people around the world erupted in protest, claiming that we were being unfair to them. This is nothing compared to what our prisoners of war in Iraq are having to endure. The Iraqi soldiers have not followed the traditional rules of warfare. They have dressed their troops in civilian clothes and hidden them in crowded public places and placed troops in hospitals and schools and fired upon our troops who cannot fire back, and they have instructed their troops to ambush Americans while attempting to surrender. Mr. Speaker, just today I had the unfortunate experience of calling a family in my district whose son was killed in the line of duty in Iraq. Lance Corporal Brian Rory Buesing, who was only 20 years old, was ambushed by Iraqi troops who were pretending to surrender. These kinds of unfair, inhumane, indecent actions are happening, unfortunately, all the time in this conflict. I urge the Iraqi government to treat our prisoners of war with the respect we treat theirs. We urge other nations in the world to be as outraged at their practices as I am and I am sure all my colleagues are, and I urge them to also support this resolution.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I would like to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle), the chairman, for working so hard on this budget. I have had lengthy discussions with him about my concerns for protecting Medicare and veterans. The spending cuts that were in the original budget that we passed out of the Committee on the Budget concerned me deeply. He listened and I am very pleased with the results. Most Americans agree that Medicare must be reformed. The 38-year-old program benefit package is outdated and actually insufficient for most seniors' needs. The current program lacks much-needed prescription drug coverage, leaving many seniors to choose between food and drugs. I know. I represent many of those seniors. The Republican budget begins the process of reforming the outdated Medicare system. It includes a historic proposal to provide $400 billion over 10 years to update the Medicare benefits package and also provide a prescription drug benefit. Additionally, I have worked with the committee and the Republican leadership to ensure that Medicare is untouched by across-the-board cuts. The constituents of the fifth congressional district have also expressed a great concern that the veterans healthcare system is broken. I have constituents in my district who are being forced to wait up to 16 months for an appointment to see a physician, and in some of the counties it is up to 18 months. Last year, in fiscal year 2003, there was a 12 percent increase in the VA medical care funding, yet the waiting times have not substantially improved. The system must be fixed. Additionally, this budget provides for an increase in veterans' discretionary spending of 6.1 percent over fiscal year 2003, as well as a 7.5 percent increase in mandatory outlays. We are working to ensure that these resources are adequately and geographically spread so that we meet the needs of seniors. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of increasing the spending on veterans' health care and protecting those who have always been willing to protect us. The budget works for seniors, and I urge support. Cutting 1 cent on the dollar for other agencies in fraud, waste and abuse is very, very achievable. Let us not say that we cannot find the savings. We deserve, for the sake of the taxpayers, to at least try.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker I rise today to congratulate Florida's new Lieutenant Governor, Toni Jennings, who was appointed Monday by Florida Governor Jeb Bush. I served with Toni in the Florida State Senate and I know from working with her in that capacity what a dedicated public servant she is. A Florida native and the first woman to hold this post in Florida's history, Toni brings a wealth of legislative knowledge and dedication to the State of Florida with her to the Executive Branch. Toni was the youngest woman ever elected to the State Legislature when she took office in 1976 at the age of 27. In 1980, she was elected to the Florida Senate where in 1996 she became the first woman ever elected as President of the Florida Senate. In 2000 she became the first senator ever to be elected to two consecutive terms as Senate President. Senators trusted Toni. The House leadership trusted Toni and the voters trusted Toni. She was also the first woman Minority Leader in either house of the legislature serving two terms, from 1983-84 and from 1986-88 while in the Senate. A former fifth-grade teacher, Toni was a strong champion of education issues in the Senate and earned a reputation as such. Toni instilled in every senator that there were no ``Ds'' or ``Rs'' in TEAM. I am proud to say she's the Lieutenant Governor of my state and I know Florida is lucky to have her. Congratulations, Toni.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate an outstanding school in the 5th Congressional District of Florida. Educating our Youth is one of the most important challenges that we as a nation face. The founders of Wider Horizons School have embraced this challenge with a vigor and dedication that has left a strong impression on the community which they serve. On Friday, March 14th, Wider Horizons School will celebrate its 20th Anniversary. Founded in 1983, Wider Horizons was the brain child of two individuals who cut their teeth in the Peace Corps opening schools in the jungles of Peru. Their formula for success includes a focus on independent learning, international field trips, and instruction in Spanish beginning in preschool. I am proud to call Mr. and Mrs. Domenick constituents. They and their staff serve as examples to us all of what it means to truly be public servants.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Ms. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the South Lake Memorial American Auxiliary #55 on their Anniversary. Sixty-six years ago this Auxiliary was founded by the brave veterans of World War I and has been serving their community ever since. Most recently, they were recognized as one of the strongest promoters of the ``Spinoza Bear Program''. This is a compassionate crusade that brings a smile to thousands of grieving children. Their commitment to public service is renewed every year as they sponsor two young women to attend Girl's State, a wonderful program that has been developed to foster political activism in our nation's youth. They are involved in countless other activities that promote community involvement by their members. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call the men and women of the South Lake Memorial American Legion constituents, and I ask that you join with me today to congratulate them on their service to our nation.