Max Burns

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Madam Speaker, we have before us today a sensible piece of legislation that will support our troops in completing their education, a bill that will help our troops participate in the Federal financial aid program by cutting through the administrative hurdles upon their return from active duty. H.R. 1412 would ask postsecondary institutions to provide a full refund of tuitions and fees to students for the period that they are not able to complete because of their service to America. It would also minimize difficult enrollments or reapplication requirements making it easier for military personnel to reenter the postsecondary education environment when they return from serving their Nation. The HEROES bill would excuse military personnel from their Federal student loan obligations while they are on active duty in service to the United States. While these men and women are fighting for our freedom overseas, they should not be worrying about repaying their student loans. Our military Reservists are called to serve the Nation. It is our duty to provide them with the support and flexibility they need to avoid financial hardship as they defend freedom and protect our safety. Madam Speaker, this is a good bill for the men and women who are fighting for our future. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation, and I urge the support of its passage from my colleagues.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is powerful. It is powerful because it says that if one has a loved one in the armed services, we encourage them to fly a Blue Star Banner. It is powerful because it encourages those families who have lost a loved one in the service of his or her country to display a Gold Star on that same banner. The Blue Star Banner and the Gold Star are symbols not only of our men and women in uniform and the sacrifices that they make for our freedoms, but they are also symbols of hope, symbols of love, and symbols of sacrifice of families who give so much for our troops. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is particularly significant to me because many of the troops who are leading the charge of our military in Iraq come from the Third Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. These fine young men and women have gone to Iraq. Some, sadly, will make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and not return. But this legislation is a visible symbol of our support for our troops, their families, and their collective sacrifices for all of our freedoms. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution, and I urge its immediate passage.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our men and women in uniform. Thousands of miles from home in an unfamiliar land, these men and women fight for a cause much larger than themselves. The men and women of the United States Armed Forces fighting in Iraq do so for freedom. They fight to protect the freedoms of their fellow Americans and to gain freedom and liberty for the tired and the poor and the downtrodden masses that have lived under the shadow of Saddam Hussein's tyrannical reign for decades. As the President said about Hussein's reign this past Tuesday, ``We are fighting an enemy that knows no rules of law that will wear civilian uniforms, that is willing to kill in order to continue the reign of fear of Saddam Hussein. But we are fighting with bravery and courage.'' Mr. Speaker, I believe today that there are no Democrats, there are no Republicans in support of our troops; there are only Americans, praying for their quick victory and their speedy return home to their loved ones. Mr. Speaker, I thank them for their sacrifices in America's time of need.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my support for H.R. 1104, the Child Abuse Prevention Act. This legislation is critical for the protection of the greatest resource in America, our children. The bill increases the authorization funding for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It serves as a resource Center and a national clearinghouse to aid missing and exploited children and their families. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates a 24- hour Hotline to report information on missing children; and, through that Center, the information is sent out to law enforcement agencies both here and abroad. The Center verifies information on missing children entered in the FBI's National Crime Information System and instructs law enforcement in the proper handling of these cases. The act also provides national coordination of the AMBER Alert system, which has already proven successful in multiple States by allowing law enforcement to put out an immediate bulletin when a child has been reported missing. Finally, and most importantly, this bill dramatically increases the penalties for people who would harm children or use them in pornography. These penalties should be the most severe that society can deliver for such disgusting crimes against our children.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the great service to our Nation being performed by our men and women in uniform. The service men and women of the Third Infantry Division from Ft. Stewart, Georgia, are among those who have been called to duty in order to promote freedom. Following the proud and valiant tradition of their predecessors who earned the names ``Iron Fist'' and ``Rock of the Marne,'' these men and women are standing at the forefront of our forces deployed in the Persian Gulf region. Their mission is to return liberty to the people of Iraq and to secure freedom and safety to all those under the shadow of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. The Third Infantry Division is the most rapidly deployable armored division in the United States Army. The Third Infantry led the way in our efforts in Iraq 12 years ago. Today, a new group of young Americans wear the division patch and stand in the Kuwaiti sand fighting on behalf of our country. The men and women not only drive, but and maintain and organize, the tanks, the Howitzers, and the helicopters of the Third Infantry Division representing the highest traditions of the United States Army. As a neighbor of these fine soldiers from Ft. Stewart, I am proud to offer the thanks of the American people whom they are fighting to protect.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of the resolution honoring our troops, their families and our President. It is time that we unite in this recognition and recognize the sacrifice that all pay for our freedom. I am reminded of two boyhood friends who served in Vietnam, but did not return, Emery Manor Smith, a fine young man, a good friend and a great neighbor. Also I am reminded of another friend, Joe Berry, another great friend and neighbor. I am reminded of a nephew who served in the first Gulf War, Scott Baker, and I honor him tonight for his service to America. I have a neighbor, Adam Ivy, who currently serves in the Gulf as a United States Marine. He serves proudly to protect America from a dictator who would inflict enormous pain and suffering, and to free the people of Iraq. Tonight we need to unite as one in support of our troops, in support of their families and in support of our President. I believe, and I am sure you agree, we live in the greatest Nation in the world. It is time that we honor those who protect our freedom. May God bless America.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the Child Medication Safety Act of 2003. This legislation will address a significant problem facing children and their parents throughout the nation and provide parents with protections from being forced into making decisions about their child's health under duress. Last year, the House Government Reform Committee held a hearing exploring an issue that should shock all of us. Witnesses at this hearing testified that some school officials have taken it upon themselves to decide that a child needs to be placed on psychotropic drugs. These school officials are not licensed medical practitioners, and yet they have felt comfortable telling parents that their child must be on a psychotropic drug or their child would not be allowed to attend school any longer. This is unconscionable. No parent should ever be coerced by a teacher or principal or other school official to place their child on a psychotropic drug. No child should ever face the denial of educational services only because they are not taking a psychotropic drug. What are these psychotropic drugs? Ritalin, Adderall, and others are drugs that, when carefully prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner and carefully monitored in the administration, can help an individual with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) control the symptoms of their disease so that they can function. These can be miracle drugs for many people, and when properly diagnosed and properly administered, many people benefit greatly from these drugs. But psychotropic drugs also have a dark side. These drugs are listed on Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act. Drugs are placed on Schedule II when: ``(A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse, (B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions; or (C) Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.'' Why are parents being forced by some schools to place their child on a drug that ``may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence?'' These are drugs that have a high potential for abuse. These are drugs that the DEA says have a high diversion rate. This is unreal. Teachers, principals, or other school personnel may mean well, and may think that they are doing the right thing, but most are not trained medical personnel and have absolutely no business forcing a parent to choose between their child's education and the potential harm of these drugs. Now I do not want to demonize these drugs. When a licensed medical practitioner properly diagnoses a child as needing these drugs, the administration of these drugs may be entirely appropriate and very beneficial. But these decisions must be made without coercion or threat of the denial of education. This Act has a simple message: states that take federal education funds must prevent school district personnel, teachers, principals, and other non-licensed medical professionals, from forcing a child to be on psychotropic drugs in order to attend school or receive services. This is a common sense piece of legislation, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, last year the House Committee on Government Reform held a hearing exploring an issue that should shock all of us. Witnesses at the hearing testified that some school officials have taken it upon themselves to decide that a child needs to be placed on psychotropic drugs. These school officials are not licensed medical practitioners, and yet some of these officials have told parents that their child must be on a drug such as Ritalin, or their child would not be allowed to attend school any longer. No child should face denial of educational services because they are not taking a psychotropic drug. Last night, I introduced the Child Medication Safety Act of 2003. This legislation will address a significant problem facing children and their parents throughout the Nation and provide parents with protections from being forced into making decisions about their child's health under duress. This bill has a simple message: States that take Federal education funds must prevent school district personnel, teachers, principals, and other nonlicensed medical professionals from forcing a child to be on psychotropic drugs in order to attend school or receive services. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 13, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003. Museums and libraries are a fundamental part of our society. They remain an integral component of our education system. As has been noted, attendance at American museums continues to grow, and today's library offers critical community services for all of our citizens. Charlotte Rogers, the director of the Jefferson County Library System in the Twelfth Congressional District of Georgia, has contacted me in support of this bill because the people of Jefferson County, the people of the State of Georgia and the people of the twelfth district benefit from the services provided by these excellent institutions. With over a dozen higher-educational institutions in the twelfth district, this bill will ensure continued support for a key component of a balanced education. H.R. 13 provides the essential Federal support for museums and libraries across this country. As a new member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I was pleased to support this bill during its consideration. I look forward to voting for the passage of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in that effort.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my concerns regarding domestic violence that plagues our Nation. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said there are four essential human freedoms, the last being freedom from fear. Today there still are too many women and children who have never experienced a life free from fear. These women and children are the 1 to 4 million women who experience serious assaults by an intimate partner each year. They are the 3.3 million children who witness their mothers being abused every year. They are the 3.2 million victims of child abuse each year. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Lifetime Television and its partners for drawing attention to this most important and most persistent problem. To those women and children who are out there who are victims, please know that there are people and there are programs out there to help you become free from fear.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take time to offer praise to one of Augusta, Georgia's most prized and valuable educational institutions. A recent guest of Travis Smiley's C-SPAN program ventured that Paine College was among several Historically Black Colleges in serious trouble financially and was in danger of dissolving. This could not be farther from the truth for Paine, which has experienced the largest growth in its 70 years of accredited education, with an average enrollment of 850 young men and women for the past 5 years. As a college professor, I know the challenges that today's institutions of higher education face. The rising cost of education and the ever-growing competition between schools to recruit and retain students are difficult to manage, but among these and other trials Paine College has not only held its ground but has grown and it has prospered. Paine students hail not just from Georgia but from all corners of our great Nation and from foreign lands, including Zambia and Cameroon. Gate Millennium Scholars, recognized for their achievements in high school, are given the chance to attend the college of their choice with full funding. This year, two of these students chose to continue their education in Augusta and build a foundation of a successful life with a degree from Paine College. Like many colleges and universities throughout the country, many of Paine's students qualify for Federal scholarships and grants. Additionally, 227 students are currently studying at Paine with the assistance of the Georgia HOPE Scholarship, for which they have to maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average. With so many choices among institutions of higher education, students will go where they can find the best educational value. Paine College has experienced its recent growth by recognizing that fact and providing a low-cost education that produces excellent results. Graduates of Paine College often move across town to attend the Medical College of Georgia or to study at other prestigious graduate programs across the country, such as Penn State University, the Claremont School of Theology, or the University of Maryland. Those of us who have served as teachers know that it is not only the job of a school to help shape and educate the mind but to develop a member of a community who will offer something in return to his neighbors. Paine's students can be seen volunteering to give back to the Augusta community every day. The Boys' and Girls' Clubs, Shiloh Senior Community Center, and the area public schools have all benefited from the generosity of Paine College students and alumni who give their time to volunteer in areas where they can have a positive impact on the lives of Augusta's youth. Academically, Paine College provides an outstanding curriculum run by a top-notch faculty. Business, education, natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences and humanities programs all offer programs of study to prepare students to not only compete but to excel in their chosen fields. To appreciate the quality of a Paine College education, all you have to do is see a short list of the achievements of Paine's alumni. Frank Yerby has published 32 novels. Charles Goode Gommillion argued and won a United States Supreme Court case. Mack Gibson was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and works for NASA. Paine College has served as a great resource for the development of great minds and members of the community both for Augusta and for our country and the world as a whole. I can see nothing but more growth and continued great achievements for Paine in the future, and I am proud to represent its students and faculty in the House of Representatives. Students seeking a quality-centered education can be confident in choosing Paine College and being a proud part of America's future.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of tax relief for small business owners and farmers in the 12th District of Georgia and in America. Small business owners and farmers in my State have always assumed their fair share of our Nation's tax burden. Fortunately, because of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, these hardworking men and women will not bear the burden of additional taxation in death, at least not for a few more years. Unfortunately, Congress did not finish the job, and many of my constituents, real working Americans, will face the so-called death tax once again in 2011. That is why this morning I signed on as a cosponsor of H.R. 57, the Death Tax Permanency Act of 2003. I believe that the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Dunn) has put together a fine piece of legislation, and I am proud to cosponsor this legislation. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are not rich. They work hard, building on the American dream of freedom in pursuit of happiness. They also expect to leave something to their children. Without complete death tax elimination, farmers and small business owners are left out of that dream. The death tax is restrictive. It is an obstacle to the American dream and it is unfair and inappropriate.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the newly introduced Rogers' resolution recognizing the contributions of historically black colleges and universities. I am very proud that my own district contains Savannah State University. Founded in 1890, Savannah State is the oldest public historically black college in Georgia. The role that these colleges and universities have played in our Nations' history is unmistakable. Universities like Savannah State have offered first-class educational opportunities to students for decades, and they have continued that leadership and excellence into this, the 21st century. Today, our historically black colleges and universities form the culture and educational training grounds for many African American leaders of tomorrow. We must do all that we can to recognize the past heritage and the future potential that is embodied by these institutions. I am pleased to give this resolution my full support.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue that affects all Americans: judicial nominations. It is imperative that we in this Congress take a stand today and say enough is enough, that together we will end the politics of ethnic and gender exploitation and begin an era where our constitutional prerogatives override personal or party political ambition. Mr. Speaker, the judiciary is the branch of the Federal Government that people rely on for impartiality and sound judgment. If they must be impartial, then as a coequal branch of government, we should be impartial in selecting them. It stands to reason that America's diversity extends to the judiciary, not simply for diversity's sake but because citizens of this great Nation have the right to be judged by their peers. As Americans are diverse, so should be its jurists. Mr. Speaker, in the past 2 years we have seen nominees for the Federal bench swept aside not because of ideological disagreements or their prior decision-making record, but due to political calculations about the effect their ethnicity or gender may have on the next election. The base politics of ethnicity and gender, couched in rhetoric of ideological bias, is destroying qualified nominees' potential for good public service. Mr. Speaker, let us go forth today and end ethnic and gender political maneuvering and begin an era of true impartiality in our judicial system and improved public service for our fellow citizens.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American. The Reverend Dr. Henry Delaney is an African American pastor in Savannah, Georgia. While I have not known the Reverend Delaney for long, what I have seen of him and his ministry has been mightily impressive. But I ask that you not just take my word for it. Many other national leaders in our country have recognized Reverend Delaney, including Senator Lamar Alexander from the State of Tennessee. Mr. Alexander recognized Mr. Delaney in a chapter of his book entitled ``We Know What to Do.'' I would like to read a short excerpt from that chapter this evening. I have taken a few editorial liberties for the sake of clarity for this tribute. Of Reverend Delaney Mr. Alexander wrote: ``If you roll back the Federal Government, then who is going to do what needs to be done? Henry Delaney, that's who. He already has. He has reminded us how to confront the drug plague and shut down crack houses. He did it with faith and commerce and mostly private funding. He has achieved dramatic results without millions in Federal aid and without trampling anyone's rights. ``Henry moved to one of the poorest sections of Savannah, Georgia, in 1989. It is fair to say that a lesser person would have been daunted by what Reverend Delaney found in Savannah. He moved into a house on 32nd Street that had been boarded up and occupied by crack addicts. He inherited a ramshackle church whose property was about to be foreclosed on by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. His congregation consisted of 216 members, many of whom were afraid to attend church because of the drug dealers who overran the area. ``Reverend Delaney quickly went to work to improve the situation. He sought loans so he could start buying up the houses where the drug dealers lived. He bought five of them on one side of the street and eight in the next block. He kicked out the drug dealers and he started moving in pastors. ``His wife Ethel helped him repair the church and Members of the congregation pitched in to renovate the houses. With every house they overhauled, they expanded their drug-free zone. The church activities expanded and membership leaped to 3,000 members. Delaney now has 16 ministers of the gospel, all of whom live within two blocks of his church. ``His converts includes some of the very drug dealers that he evicted. One was shot 16 times when he was caught in a crossfire from a drug deal gone bad at a car wash. He had a miraculous recovery and now he never misses a Sunday morning service. They say that no one in the congregation sings ``Amazing Grace'' with more feeling. ``Reverend Delaney is educating inner-city kids in Savannah who otherwise would not be in school, who would drop out and be rejected or be expelled. Ethel Delaney, meanwhile, opened the Saint Paul's Community Cultural Center, or what she calls a Christian charm school for girls. Since they don't accept Federal money, both schools instill a heavy dose of discipline and religion. ``Henry also runs a homeless shelter for young men who are recovering drug addicts and recent parolees from prison, helping them find jobs and keeping them clean from drugs. What is different is the evangelistic fervor Reverend Delaney brings to this task. Many of these fellas have gone through the 28-day detox programs, but within 4 or 5 days, they are back at it. So every week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, he keeps them busy with evening worship. On Tuesday, they have Bible study. On Sunday they attend church regularly. So far it has worked very well. ``He calls his shelter the Hallelujah House. This is how you have to conduct a war against drugs, using a series of trenches. It starts in the family. If you fail there, you have to take them off the streets, and you have to reassemble them at the workplace. ``Of all the uphill battles he and his wife wage, Henry is most perplexed by the Nation's failure to focus consistently on the drug issue. His is a voice from the inner city of Savannah that we should be listening to. In the 1970s, when national voices suggested that marijuana was cool and drugs were okay, kids used drugs. In the early 1980s, when national leadership and some of the media said it wasn't okay, drug use began to decrease. Simply put, it is virtually impossible for people like Henry and Ethel Delaney to succeed if the streets of Savannah are awash with cocaine and crack. Keeping drugs out of the country is a matter of Federal law enforcement and foreign policy. Of course, those local efforts depend on men like Henry Delaney. We need to learn from Henry Delaney and use his example to inspire others to achieve the same success in their communities. So while there is no shortage of experts on national drug policy, it is probably time we started paying attention to the real experts like Reverend Delaney. He now has 60 preachers affiliated with his church, not all of them ordained, but his goal is to keep buying up the crack houses, moving in his ministers, and pushing out the drug dealers a block at a time until they are on the other side of the county line. Mr. Speaker, we need more Henry Delaneys in this world.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, Helen Keller once reminded us that ``no pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.'' The seven crew members aboard Columbia were optimists, one and all, who saw the uncharted lands of space as an opportunity, not an obstacle. They were willing to open new doorways for humanity at the cost of their own lives. Mr. Speaker, they left a Nation at war on a mission of peaceful exploration of space. While fate did not return them to us, the memory of their courage, their determination and their optimism for a brighter future will stay with us forever. I support this resolution as one small way of carrying on their memory.

Mr. BURNS

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, farmers of the 12th District of Georgia, as well as those across the Nation, are hurting. Disastrous yields and poor crop quality are the result of the weather of 2002. To respond to these needs, to work for Georgia farmers and with the Georgia Farm Bureau and its president, Wayne Dollar, today I will introduce the Emergency Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act. I urge my colleagues to take steps toward aiding some of America's finest in these difficult times by cosponsoring and supporting this bill.