Michael Burgess

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I will yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 393, recognizing October as the National Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the Nation's leading killers, claiming the lives of over a quarter million Americans a year. The most incidents of sudden cardiac arrest occur without any warning signs and can strike at any age, even in healthy infants, high school athletes, and adults with no prior signs of distress or heart disease. Most victims of sudden cardiac arrest--95 percent--die because they are not able to receive a life-saving shock from an automated external defibrillator within 4 to 6 minutes before brain and permanent death start to occur. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops working and no blood is pumped to vital organs. The heart's electrical system malfunctions. And in fact, for those who can be identified to be at risk for SCA, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is very effective at preventing a deadly arrest. This resolution will support continued efforts to raise awareness about the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, to improve the public's ability to identify warning signs and encourage individuals to seek medical attention in a timely manner. I certainly would like to thank the Heart Rhythm Society and the 29 organizations that comprise the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition for their support. I would also like to point out their ongoing efforts promoting public awareness and education campaigns that will be held each year during the month of October. Certainly I also want to thank the sponsor of the resolution, Mr. Chip Pickering of Mississippi, for raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and improving national cardiovascular health. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution. I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I will yield myself such time as I may consume. And I do rise in support of House Resolution 1042. Since Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age in 1984, teen drinking rates have dropped; 25 percent fewer high school seniors drink than in 1983. But despite these gains, many teens still drink, and when they do, it can be to excess, with 25 percent of seniors reporting binge drinking. Mr. Speaker, adolescent years can be fraught with peril. It is said that being a teenager is risky business. Adding alcohol to the mix can compound the difficulties, and especially when driving, being behind the wheel of a car. Drunk driving is the leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 20. These crashes claim and kill almost 2,000 teenagers each year; and in 65 percent of them, the kids got the alcohol without permission from family or friends. The best protections against underage drinking are prevention and enforcement strategies by parents and members of the community. Parents should take the time to discuss with their children the dangers of underage drinking, and can use the Federal Trade Commission's Web site as a resource for parents, educators and community leaders concerned about underage drinking. The We Don't Serve Teens campaign has worked to unite State officials, business leaders, parents and all three tiers of the beverage alcohol industry in fighting underage drinking, and unites all of those participants in a concerted effort to protect America's youth. I do want to thank the sponsor of the resolution, Mrs. Bono Mack of California, for raising public awareness and her continued effort to reduce underage drinking. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution. Having no additional requests for time on my side, I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Health care workforce issues are going to be a major and developing problem over the next several years, and it's a problem that the country really doesn't know a great deal about. In fact, in the next 20 to 30 years our population is going to age, and it's going to grow. And the current trends suggest that we will reach a critical shortage of physicians in growing communities, and it'll be especially acute in some specialties. The problem is complex. The problem is varied, and does not have just one solution. But in a modest attempt to spark the discussion on how to increase the domestic supply of physicians and provide at least one solution, Congressman Matheson and I introduced H.R. 2583 last year. H.R. 2583 will assist small hospitals that serve rural or growing areas by providing them with financial resources to establish a residency training program for certain high need medical specialties. While we need to increase the number of doctors, we also need to make certain that they practice in areas where they're needed. We need to develop new residency training programs away from the major urban centers. It is a rule of thumb that most physicians tend to settle and start their families and integrate into the community where they complete their residency training program. H.R. 2583 will help smaller emerging communities attract and retain the medical professionals that their communities will need to rely on well into the future. H.R. 2583 would establish an interest-free loan program for eligible hospitals to establish residency training programs. Over the period of its authorization, it should operate at no cost to the American taxpayer. To qualify, hospitals will need to have secured preliminary accreditation from the American Council of Graduate Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association, and have not had a residency training program in the past. These loans would go to pay salaries or benefits for residents, salaries of faculty and other costs directly attributable to the residency training program. Mr. Speaker, in response to concerns raised during discussions on this bill, House Energy and Commerce staff and Member office staff have worked together in a bipartisan manner to address areas of concern. This bill represents a modest and an accountable approach to the growing problem of physician workforce issues. This bill is supported by medical groups, and most notably, the American Osteopathic Association. I'm pleased also to have worked with Congressman Matheson on this important proposal. So, Mr. Speaker, if Members want to help their smaller rural communities, and if they want to help attract medical professionals that their communities will need in the future, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 2583 today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I would just simply add that many providers, many physicians across the country, will welcome that establishment of parameters and best practices. Oftentimes we feel caught between the situation where do we provide adequate pain relief to our patients and perhaps risk scrutiny from the department of drug enforcement, or do we risk the scrutiny of the patient and their family because of inadequate efforts at pain management. Oftentimes it can be a fine line and quite a balancing act. I think we will go a long way towards alleviating the suffering of those who are sufferers of chronic and debilitating pain, but also provide additional resources to the caregivers when faced with these difficult situations. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time on my side, and I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, in deference to the sponsor of the bill, I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 6901, the Meth Free Families and Communities Act. I also want to commend Congresswoman Hooley and Congresswoman Cubin for their tireless work on this bill. This bill reauthorizes a grant program administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Methamphetamine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant which affects neurochemical mechanisms responsible for regulating heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, appetite, attention and mood. The grant program at the agency provides comprehensive family-based substance abuse treatment for methamphetamine addiction for pregnant and parenting women. The bill updates the law by directing the agency to expand, intensify and coordinate efforts to provide for pregnant and parenting women and for the family-based treatment for methamphetamine addiction. In addition, the bill attempts to increase awareness of methamphetamine addiction amongst providers and employers. By helping people break their addiction, this program helps to put them on a road towards self-sufficiency and ends the vicious cycle of methamphetamine addiction. I commend Congresswoman Hooley and Congresswoman Cubin for their work on this bill and for all of their years of service to this body and to our Committee on Energy and Commerce. Both Members will be sorely missed, and I wish them well in whatever life has in store for them in the future.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H.R. 5265, the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2008. I want to commend Congressman Engel for bringing this bill, and I was also proud to be the lead minority cosponsor on this bill. H.R. 5265 reauthorizes the existing Centers for Disease Control efforts towards muscular dystrophy. The muscular dystrophies are a group of more than 30 genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control voluntary movement. Muscular dystrophy funding is used for surveillance and family needs and assessment activities. I am supportive of the bill's efforts to reauthorize and improve the existing muscular dystrophy registry at the Centers for Disease Control, and I urge Members to support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Hurst Main Post Office for being certified as a Star site in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, Voluntary Protection Program, VPP. The Hurst Main Post Office is one of three postal VPP sites in the Fort Worth area. The Voluntary Protection Program promotes success through effective worksite safety and health. Approval into the Voluntary Protection Program is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's way of officially recognizing the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who uphold exemplary occupational safety practices. The distinction as a ``Star'' site displays Hurst Main Post Office's sustained excellence in all areas of safety and health management systems. This excellence stems from strong leadership, participation, and commitment to quality. I commend the Hurst Main Post Office upon their receipt of this distinction for their commitment to exercising safe and healthful working conditions. Their efforts serve as an example to all, and I am proud to be their representative in the 26th District of Texas.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. It's been a fascinating day, hasn't it? You have the votes to pass this bill, so congratulations. You'll pass it. But the bill is a ghost. It's going over to the Senate. It's dead on arrival. It will not do one thing for producing energy and American jobs for the American people. Now, there is almost no mention in this huge bill that we got at 9:45 last night, almost no mention about new refineries. I think refineries were mentioned one time. Natural gas, I heard my friend from Oklahoma say natural gas is included in this bill. It's mentioned less than a half a dozen times. There is no title for natural gas in this bill. Nuclear energy, it's not here. I can't find it. Now, the polls currently show that faith in Congress, our congressional credibility is at an all-time low. You won an election 2 years ago on the basis of the fact that you're going to get us out of Iraq. You didn't do it. You're going to bring down gas prices. That didn't work. Most ethical Congress ever. I'm afraid not. And now the last thing was we are not going to drop large bills in the middle of the night into this House. We're going to do it the right way. Well, I'm afraid that's been lost as well. Now, why does it matter? Well, we have a subcommittee. We've had multiple hearings on energy over the past 18, 20 months. Mr. Boucher is to be commended for the amount of hearings that he's had on this. But we didn't get to mark this bill up in subcommittee. Not one amendment came from a Republican at any time on this bill. We didn't see this bill in full committee. Now, there are things that we should do urgently; like we should protect our electrical grid in this country, which we're not doing in this bill. There's the urgency. Bring that bill to the House floor without going through subcommittee and full committee. That, the American people would understand. Well, notwithstanding what the majority leader has just told us, Paris Hilton will tell you, this is not rocket surgery. We do need all the above. Unfortunately, this bill does not provide that. I urge voting against this legislation.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Before I came to the United States Congress, in another life, I was a physician, and oftentimes when I was introduced to speak at an engagement back home, the person doing the introductions will say, Do you want to be referred to as Doctor or Congressman? I usually start off with perhaps a little lighthearted humor in that, Well, physicians still enjoy about a 70 to 80 percent approval rating with the American public, and Members of Congress enjoy about a 7 to 8 percent approval rating with the country. So, mother always called me Doctor, and that is what I'd prefer to be called. But it's really a sad commentary on the institution that our credibility is at such a low ebb. Now we just had the gentleman from Tennessee talk about an editorial in the New York Times. Since he brought it up, let me refer attention to the New York Times from yesterday. Reading it on the airplane up here, they referenced the fact that we have a serious problem with the chairman of our Ways and Means Committee and the credibility has been lost for the individual who is head of the largest tax-writing body in the House of Representatives. The Tax Code in this country is complex. No one understands it. People understand how mistakes can be made. But the chairman of that body, at the very least, ought to hold himself above reproach. And yes, maybe one transgression, perhaps two, but transgression after transgression after transgression is more than the American people can tolerate. We are going to debate an energy bill today. But the fact is we are not really going to accomplish anything on energy. Yes, I know they have the votes. They can pass pretty much whatever they want. They can ram it to the floor, like they did last night, 15 minutes before it goes to the Rules Committee, and then here on the floor, as if by magic, today. But this bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. It is going to do nothing to help the American people. Here's the tragedy. Out in the countryside, no one believes that we have the ability to do much of anything. We couldn't talk about border security or immigration reform because we have no credibility. We can't talk about what we are going to do with the economy because we have no credibility. The credibility of this institution was badly damaged prior to the 2006 election, and I grant you it was an election strategy by the other side that worked. Paint the working majority at that time as one that wasn't working, and we will get to take credit for it and we will get to take power. So look at where we are today, 22\1/2\ months later. Are we out of Iraq? I don't think so. Are gas prices lower? I don't think so. All of those things were promised during the run-up to the last election. And, yes, they promised to be the most ethical and competent Congress that the country had seen in quite some time. Now I call on the 30 new Members on the majority side who were elected on this platform to stand up. Stand up in your conference and be counted. Now is the time. We have a serious crisis of credibility on one of the major committees in the United States Congress, and we can't get past that point. One individual holds in his hand the power to begin to restore some of the credibility to the institution that we so sorely need. I call on the freshmen Democrats to ask the chairman to step aside, whether temporarily or permanently, but step aside until he solves his own problems so that the institution is not left carrying that weight. I think the institution of the House of Representatives deserves no less than that courtesy at a time when our economy is suffering, our energy prices are high, and certainly the ability of the country to defend the border has been seriously questioned. This is the time. This is the time that the House needs to have maximum credibility to get these issues accomplished and, at the same time, here we are talking about the same things and over and over again. Again, I call on the freshmen Members, stand up to your Speaker, stand up to the powerful committee chairmen. Let's move past this point. You have other capable members on the majority side on the Committee on Ways and Means who can serve, either temporarily or permanently, to serve that body, and let's move past this point. It's time. The American people are waiting on us to do the big work, and we can't do it because we are bound up in these seemingly endless quandaries that we find ourselves in. Let's show the American people that we can lead. Maybe then they will restore some of the credibility to us.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the gentleman from Indiana. It just strains credulity. I sit on the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and it strains credulity that I come to the floor of the House tonight and find that this bill has been filed by the Rules Committee. We have had tons of hearings over the last 18-20 months in our subcommittee, and fact is, we never got a chance to look at this bill in subcommittee. We never got a chance to mark it up in subcommittee or full committee. Why even bother having congressional committees, when this stuff is going to spring from whole cloth in the Speaker's Office? It makes no sense. I need to say a word about refineries, because we have tried for the last 3 years since Hurricane Katrina roared ashore to get siting for new gasoline refineries in this country. We passed an Energy Policy Act in August of 2005. It became obsolete in September when Hurricane Katrina came ashore. In October 2005, we as Republicans tried to pass legislation that would allow for siting of new refineries on closed military bases. It's come up in various forms again and again over the last 3 years. Most recently, at the end of July, I tried to add an amendment onto the military construction appropriations bill, the only appropriations bill we have had in the Congress this year, and I was denied. I was told that the military service organizations wanted a clean bill. It was important to them to get this done quickly, but the bill had passed out of committee on May 24, and it was July 31 that we were hearing it here on the floor of the House. We had plenty of time to arrange these things and allow for amendments. I would just have to add, if we want to talk about, for our members, the men and women of the military, we ought to be working too on the Department of Defense appropriations bill, because their pay raises are going to be in that bill. If we kick the can down to road to an omnibus bill at the end of the year, we are asking our men and women, who are serving, to protect us this very evening to delay receiving those benefits that they so richly deserve. This bill is a travesty. I have been going through it here in the back here while we have been talking. You have credits in here to Freddie and Fannie, for crying out loud. Is that a good idea for with what we have just been through? There are earmarks in this bill. There are very specific targeted pieces of legislation contained within this bill. This bill is not a good idea. We would fix those things in committee if we only had the chance.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Baker Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church on its 100th anniversary. Baker Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1908 as a place of worship and institution of service to its community. The Reverend Walter McDonald, current Pastor, and the church membership have sought to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs of the people of the surrounding area. For a century, BCAMEC has stood as an esteemed religious institution, serving as a beacon in Tarrant County to reach out to its neighbors and serve the misfortunate. I recognize Baker Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church for their accomplishment of a century of service to the Fort Worth community. It is my privilege to represent the members of Baker Chapel in the 26th district of Texas.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor of the House this morning to talk about energy. But I just want to say a word about what was just discussed. We have had major policy decisions in health care come to the floor of this House, not through my Subcommittee on Health in Energy and Commerce, not through the full Committee on Energy and Commerce. No. It comes directly from the Speaker's Office to the floor of the House. It comes up under suspension because who wants to vote against health? Who wants to vote against doctors? But the reality is major changes in public policy are going on with no discussion in committee, no ability to amend or improve a bill on the floor of the House, no ability to offer an alternative before we vote because they are brought up under suspension. This is wrong and this is indicative of the type of leadership that this House has had for the last 20 months. This is what the American people say they want changed. When they talk about change, they're talking about change from the top, and it's high time it happened.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate the efforts of both of my colleagues from Texas on the Foreign Relations Committee for helping bring this resolution to the floor today so that it could be done in the time we have remaining in the United States Congress this year. I do ask my colleagues to support House Resolution 937. This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the emergency communications services provided by the American Red Cross are vital resources for military and servicemembers and their families. For more than a century, the American Red Cross has provided an emergency messaging system free of charge to all military servicemembers and to their families. Through 756 chapters in the United States and on 58 military installations around the world, the American Red Cross serves over 1.4 million active duty personnel and 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserves with emergency communication. Twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, American Red Cross volunteers transmit emergency messages between military servicemembers and their families. This resource provides not only a notification system for the servicemember, but it also offers third- party verification of the emergency. In an emergency, commanders in the field rely on this unbiased third-party verification when deciding whether to release a military servicemember from their duties. In addition to keeping more than 1,000 military families connected each day, the Red Cross delivers emergency messages regarding serious illness of a loved one or the good news on the birth of a servicemember's child or grandchild. I know this because I had personal service during my career as an obstetrician back in Texas, and I cannot tell you the number of times where the Red Cross provided this vital function. The Red Cross emergency communications services are also available to the families of civilian personnel working overseas under contract to the Department of Defense. This service to the Armed Forces assists an active duty servicemember or veteran every 3 minutes, receives a call from someone in need every 1\1/2\ minutes, and assists those in need with one phone call placed or received every minute of every day of every year. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the volunteers, the supporters, the military servicemembers and their families who rely on the American Red Cross to communicate messages in a family emergency. This vital service could not happen without the sincere support of the Red Cross and the dedication to our troops and families. I ask you to commend them by voting in support of House Resolution 937.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate DeLay Middle School of Lewisville, Texas, for being the recipient of the 2008 Intel Schools of Distinction Award for Mathematics Excellence. DeLay Middle School has been honored as one of two middle schools in the United States to win a 2008 Intel Distinction Award, and was the only middle school nationwide recognized for excellence in math by Intel. For this prestigious award DeLay Middle School will be given a package of a $10,000 cash grant and curriculum supplies including hardware and software valued at more than $160,000. The Intel Schools of Distinction Award is given annually to six schools that have demonstrated exemplary instruction in the subjects of mathematics and science. By winning this award, DeLay Middle School marks itself as an institution committed to providing outstanding education, a role model to other schools in our Nation. I commend DeLay Middle School of Lewisville. Their hard work and desire to excel deserves the highest recognition and congratulations. I'm very proud to represent these students, teachers, and faculty in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Polly Tadlock of Frisco, TX for her many contributions as an educator in the North Texas area and Frisco Independent School District. Mrs. Tadlock was recently chosen as the namesake of Polly Tadlock Elementary School, a new facility in Frisco ISD. Frisco ISD recommended the naming of a new facility for a former employee whose contributions have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Mrs. Tadlock has been noted for going above the call of duty with her willingness to help her students inside and outside of the classroom. She is known for following her students as they left the classroom and entered adulthood, creating lifelong relationships. According to Polly, ``the lifelong relationships with students are the greatest rewards of all.'' Mrs. Tadlock taught for a total of 24 years in the North Texas area. She served the district of Frisco from 1968 to 1989, when she decided to retire. Mrs. Tadlock was born in Ponder, TX, later moving to Fort Worth to continue her education. After receiving her bachelor's and master's from Texas Women's University, Mrs. Tadlock began her teaching career in Pilot Point, TX, later spending the majority of her 24 years as an educator in the Frisco Independent School District. Madam Speaker, it is an honor today to rise in recognition of Mrs. Tadlock, whose dedication to the students and families of Frisco has made her truly deserving of such an honor. Her devotion to her community serves as an inspiration and as an example to us all, and I am proud to represent her in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Cedar Street Capital Improvement Project in Denton, Texas. August 20, 2007 marked the beginning of this needed project. The project was funded by Community Development Block Grants, or CDBGs, which were allocated to the City of Denton by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These important Federal funds have been well utilized to benefit the people of the 26th District of Texas. For more than 20 years, the City of Denton has set aside CDBG funds to repair and replace public facilities and services in older neighborhoods. The projects are designed to enhance both pedestrian and vehicle access to neighborhoods and downtown and to support basic services such as water and sewer. The Cedar Street project replaced all water and sewer lines, many of which were over 50 years old. The project also widened sidewalks, making them ADA accessible for the first time in history. Roadside trees, benches, bike racks, and pedestrian amenities were also added. The estimated cost for the project is $1.2 million, of which $800,000 came from Community Development Block Grants. This project will help enhance mobility and aesthetics as well as upgrade utility lines on the west side of the Downtown Square. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to rise today and recognize the outstanding improvements being made on Cedar Street, and I thank the Department of Housing and Urban Development for allocating the funds to make it possible. It is my privilege to represent the members of the Community Development Advisory Committee and everyone involved in these worthwhile projects in the 26th District of Texas.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today to recognize Wireless Broadband Company for their far-sighted provision of high speed Internet services to rural areas. Wireless Broadband Company is a pioneer in the high speed Internet industry as they are reaching customers that larger companies have deemed unprofitable. This company has earned my respect for remembering that rural communities should not be left behind in the Information Age. Farmers, ranchers, lake-area inhabitants, and other country dwellers now have immediate access to online communities and knowledge databases thanks to the innovation and concern of this company. Wireless Broadband Company will be opening their third office and continues to expand their service capacity to rural areas. Madam Speaker, I commend the management and employees of Wireless Broadband Company for the positive professional contribution they have made to rural communities, notably constituents within the 26th District of Texas. I warmly congratulate Wireless Broadband Company upon the opening of their third store and wish them continued business growth.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to recognize The Reverend Charles E. Smith, who will be installed as Pastor at Berea Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Pastor Smith is a native of Texas and a longtime resident of Fort Worth, where he has raised his family. He and wife Lawsha Smith have six children. Smith graduated from the Southern Bible Institute in Dallas in 1984, and prior to that completed a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington. In the nearly 25 years since the completion of his theological training, Smith has served in various capacities in Baptist churches throughout North Texas, the most recent being his role as Associate Minister at Berea. The multiple leadership and service awards that have been bestowed upon Pastor Smith testify to the fact that this is a man who is dedicated to excellence in serving his community. In addition to his service in a religious capacity, he has also positively contributed to his community as a Campus Learning Coordinator and Chancellor's Leadership Committee member at Tarrant County College. Madam Speaker, I commend Pastor Smith for his longstanding service to Fort Worth and to the members of the Baptist congregations whom he has so capably served. It is an honor to represent Pastor Charles Smith and Berea Baptist Church in the 26th Congressional District of Texas.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Birdville Independent School District upon the construction of an outstanding new educational facility in Richland Hills, Texas. This new building is an exciting step forward for the school district, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Jack C. Binion Elementary is planned for August 21, 2008. Binion Elementary is capably headed by Principal Paul Anderson and Assistant Principal Hilda Hager. The school welcomes students from pre- kindergarten through fifth grade, and has a total enrollment of over 500 students. Binion's mascot is the Bobcat, and their colors are maroon and white. Binion Elementary is the newest facility for the Birdville Independent School District, which consists of 32 schools and over 22,000 students. Binion was founded in 1954 as Glenview Elementary. The first year the school opened, construction on the cafeteria wasn't completed until November. For the first few months of classes, food had to be brought in from another school each day. The first Principal was Mr. Jack C. Binion, and his leadership was instrumental in getting the school off to an excellent start. In 2003, Glenview was renamed Jack C. Binion Elementary School. In the fall of 2006, voters approved the construction of a new campus for the elementary school. In summer of 2007, construction began, and the building is scheduled to be completed in time for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Madam Speaker, it is truly an honor to rise today to compliment the Birdville Independent School District's administration for its leadership in directing the construction of an impressive new campus for Jack C. Binion Elementary. I am proud to represent its students, teachers, and the Richland Hills community in the 26th District of Texas.