G.K. Butterfield

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding American citizen, Mrs. Doretha Ward Kent, on the occasion of her much deserved retirement. For 25 years, Doretha Kent faithfully and diligently served in various capacities with the Wilson County School System and as a community volunteer. Mrs. Kent was one of three daughters born to William and Dora Ward of Stantonsburg, North Carolina. She attended Springfield High School and then further pursued her education at Wilson County Technical Community College where she received an Associate Degree in Computer Technology. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Kent dedicated 20 long years of her life as a Teacher's Assistant at Wells Elementary School where she nurtured and helped to develop the young minds of thousands of students. She spent five years as a Media Assistant at Beddingfield High School highlighting the positive activities of students. Mr. Speaker, I am certain that both educational institutions will truly miss the valuable services that Doretha Kent provided over the years. In addition to being a dedicated public servant Mrs. Kent founded NC Love in Action, a medical assistance program aimed at helping disadvantaged citizens of Wilson County. She is a member of Mt. Zion FWB Church and serves on the Usher Board and Finance Committee. My relationship with Doretha Kent is one of personal friend and fellow community leader. We have worked together for so long in our effort to improve the quality of life for all of our citizens. I am honored to sponsor this tribute on this occasion. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring this great woman of uncompromising moral integrity and devotion to God and community. Her service to her community, the State of North Carolina, and the United States of America are greatly appreciated.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Chairman, I bring this amendment to the floor today on behalf of myself, the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott) in order to provide much needed financial assistance to our Nation's minority farmers, and to the 1890 Land Grant Colleges and Universities. While I generally support this legislation, it falls short, in my estimation, in the area of funding for rural development. We must, Madam Chairwoman, offer more outreach and more technical assistance to our farmers. During fiscal year 1983, President Reagan initiated the Small Farmer Outreach Training and Technical Assistance program in response to the USDA task force on black farm ownership. It reflected a commitment to implement Reagan's Presidential Executive Order 123-20 dated September 15, 1981, to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities by addressing the many civil rights issues that are confronted by the agency. This is the only program, the only program implemented by the USDA that directly helps minority farmers who are losing their farms at a rate that far exceeds their white counterparts. I, therefore, Madam Chairman, urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1449.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, tonight we have all talked about how sweet and how wonderful it was for the University of North Carolina to be crowned as the NCAA Champions. But Mr. Speaker what makes this team so special is how well they exemplified what it means to be a team. Winning the five games on their way to claiming their fourth national championship, three different players led the team in scoring and four players led the team in rebounding. Sean May certainly earned the honor of tournament MVP. But the road to the finals required the collective effort of the entire team. After two easy wins again, Oakland and Iowa, Carolina fans collectively held their breath when the referee's whistle blew in the final seconds against Villanova. Fear of a shooting foul turned into the joy of a traveling call against Villanova, and the Heels held on for the one-point win. A strong game against Wisconsin then sent Carolina on to the final game in St. Louis. The game brought together the two best teams in the country. It was a fitting finale to a memorable season and an exciting NCAA tournament. Fittingly, the game was full of tension and drama until the waning seconds. Illinois showed the perseverance and will that had resulted in 37 wins, while Carolina showed the determination, the unity, and the cohesion needed to overcome a team that went undefeated for much of the season. This Carolina team, Mr. Speaker, would have made Dean Smith proud, because they won using a primary tenet of his Carolina way: They shared the ball and they played unselfishly. By playing as a team, they led the Nation in scoring and assists, and they played at a pace very few teams could manage. Therefore, on behalf of the citizens of the First Congressional District of North Carolina, my congratulations go to Coach Williams and to every member of the University of North Carolina basketball team. You have made us proud across our State and you have shown us the great benefit of working as a team. Congratulations and best wishes.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1638.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of Eastern North Carolina's great public servants, Bishop J.E. Reddick on the occasion of his seventieth birthday celebration. Bishop J.E. Reddick was born on Easter Sunday afternoon on April 21, 1935. After completing high school in 1953, Bishop Reddick received his collegiate and professional training at Shaw University, A&T State University and Hampton Institute. He is the recipient of the Bachelor of Bible Degree and the Master of Bible Philosophy Degree from the American Bible Institute of Kansas City, Missouri and has received two honorary Doctor of Divinity Degrees from the Universal Bible Institute of Alamo, Tennessee and Shaw University Divinity School respectfully. The United Christian College in Goldsboro, North Carolina awarded him the Doctor Humane of Letters. Aside from his talents as preacher, teacher and leader, Bishop Reddick's main forte is his ability as a builder and administrator. He has set Free Will Baptist precedents in the area of church renovation, construction and programs. Bishop Reddick is founder of the Mt. Calvary Free Will Baptist Church, which today is revered as one of the most functional, practical and attractive churches in the Free Will Baptist connection. He led Maury Chapel Free Will Baptist Church congregation from a deteriorating building into a new church structure. Piney Green and Union Grove Free Will Baptist Churches were remodeled under the leadership of Bishop Reddick. Bishop J.E. Reddick remains highly active in his community. He presently serves as President of the National Convention of Free Will Baptist USA, General Bishop of the United American Free Will Baptist Denomination and Presiding Annual Bishop of North West ``B'' annual Conference. He also serves as Board Member for Millennia Community Bank (Greenville, NC) and Kinston Housing Authority. He previously served as a Board Member Chairman for the North Carolina Department of Social Services. Bishop Reddick retired from the Lenoir County Public School System after serving 30 years. Bishop Reddick was awarded the ``Legion of Honor Award'' by the National Chaplain's Association, which is presented to a clergyman for outstanding achievements and accomplishments, and has served 58 years as a Minister of the Gospel. Bishop Reddick credits his success to faith in God, Christian principles, love from family and support of friends. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating this fine man on seventy years of accomplishments, and wish him many more.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), to talk about the position of House Democrats, particularly those of us on the Committee on Armed Services, regarding an issue of importance to our national defense. As a new member of the Subcommittee on Readiness, I have been privy to briefings from our combatant commanders and from the Department of Defense. The testimonies provided by these great Americans have led me to the conclusion that our military equipment located in Iraq and Afghanistan has become severely worn and damaged. The Congress of the United States has a solemn constitutional duty to provide for our military, and the Democratic Members of the Congress take this responsibility very seriously. A sufficient part of our duty is to make sure that our troops have the equipment they need to be successful when they are engaged in war. Whether it is MREs or canteens or desert uniforms or personal protective vests or up-armored Humvees, our troops deserve to have enough equipment in good working condition to get the job done. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that our troops are on the verge of not having the equipment they need to win these wars, and that is not good. Many of our briefings, Mr. Speaker, are top secret, and I would not dare to breach that confidence. But, Mr. Speaker, it is not classified that the pace of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is taking its toll on our equipment. We are simply wearing out the equipment at a fast pace. By the Army's own estimates, trucks are wearing out at three to five times the rate as they would during peacetime operations. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the truck usage is as much as 10 times higher than average during the last 7 years. Our aircraft are aging and wearing out at twice the rate as in peacetime. The Marine Corps reports its CH-46 helicopters are being used at 230 percent of the peacetime rate. It is not just that our equipment is wearing out, Mr. Speaker; it is that so much of our equipment is wearing out. Forty percent of the Army's equipment has been deployed since the start of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Thirty percent of the Marine Corps' equipment is deployed, and 2,300 items require depot maintenance. Twelve percent of the wheeled vehicles in Iraq are so broken down that they will have to be replaced. We have also depleted a high percentage of our prepositioned equipment. The Army says that our stocks will not be reset for at least 3 years after the end of the conflicts. Equipment casualties are significant. During the war in Iraq, the Army has lost 503 pieces of major equipment, including 51 helicopters, 76 heavy trucks, 217 Humvees, and 97 combat vehicle-like tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and Strykers. The Marine Corps reports that 1,800 pieces of equipment valued at over $94 million have been destroyed. Why do I mention all of these statistics? I want my colleagues and the American people to understand that we are coming dangerously close to weakening our military, and we must understand the enormity of the problem. And it must be known that it is going to take a lot of money to fix the problem. The 2005 supplemental appropriation passed by the House earlier this year includes $554 million to replace 800 worn out or damaged pieces of equipment. The CBO estimates that the Department of Defense already needs between $13 billion and $18 billion to fund maintenance costs not covered in the budget. And the Army will require at least 2 years of supplemental appropriations after the end of the conflict in order to reset the force. I regret that the President's 2006 budget request does not include the money we need to replace and modernize our worn and lost equipment. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Members of the Committee on Armed Services deeply care about our troops and about our military. We must fulfill our constitutional duty to ensure that our troops have what they need to succeed wherever they are deployed. They can only succeed and we can only carry out our duty if we provide them sufficient equipment to complete their mission. That is going to be a long and expensive process. Congress, therefore, needs to take prompt action, and I call on all of my colleagues to provide the needed support to make that happen.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, first, I want to thank the chairman for yielding these 4 minutes to me. One of the hazards of being one of the lowest in seniority on this side of the aisle is that we run out of time so quickly. So I thank the chairman for yielding this time. I want to thank the ranking member for the work he has done in the process. Mr. Chairman, I represent North Carolina's 1st District. We are the 15th poorest district in America. We are working very hard to lift our communities in meaningful ways and it is difficult. The one area in which we are succeeding is in the area of making higher educational opportunities more available to minority and low- income students. I am so proud of the fact that we are beginning to eliminate the educational disparity that exists between black, white and brown. One program, Mr. Chairman, that has significantly contributed to this success is the TRIO program. TRIO programs are working. This program is serving 6,200 young people in my district, a total of 17 projects. Across the country, more than 870,000 low-income Americans are being served. TRIO has a Talent Search Program which serves young people in grades 6 through 12. In addition to counseling, participants receive information about college admissions requirements, scholarships and various student financial aid programs. This early intervention program helps people from families with incomes under $24,000 to better understand their educational opportunities and options. Over 387,000 Americans are enrolled in 471 Talent Search programs. The President's budget and the Republican budget eliminates these programs entirely. TRIO has an Upward Bound Program which helps young students to prepare for higher education. Participants receive instruction in literature, composition, mathematics and science on college campuses after school, on Saturdays and during the summer. Currently, 770 programs are in operation throughout the country. This program, Mr. Chairman, is scheduled for extinction. The alternative Congressional Black Caucus budget is a responsible document, and I want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for the work that they have done in developing this great document. This budget restores funding for TRIO. It reduces spending while maintaining strong funding for national defense and homeland security. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose the Republican budget and to vote for the Congressional Black Caucus budget as this budget restores funding for the TRIO program which is a very, very deserving program.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. During World War II, the island of Iwo Jima was strategically located. It contained three airstrips which had been used to stage kamikaze attacks on American ships. The island was home to three airstrips which had been used to stage kamikaze attacks. Allied generals believed that, if captured, the kamikazes would have to operate from Okinawa and Kyushu while at the same time providing American fighters airstrips close enough to Japan to escort B-29s during missions on the mainland. Iwo Jima became the first native Japanese soil invaded by Americans in World War II, with approximately 60,000 Americans and 20,000 Japanese participating in the battle. On February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima at 8:59 a.m., after 10 weeks of bombing from carrier-based planes and medium bombers. A total force of 70,000 Marines were assembled for the invasion against a force of 27,000 Japanese. What followed was some of the most vicious fighting of the entire war. On an island barely 8 square miles in size, the Japanese forces constructed over 800 pillboxes and 3 miles of tunnels. The volcanic ash on the island severely complicated landings. On February 23, 1945, Mike Strank, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley raised an American flag atop Mount Suribachi. The raising of this flag was captured forever by photographer Joe Rosenthal, and today, it stands immortalized less than 2 miles away from this Capitol. Approximately one-third of all Marines killed in action in World War II were killed at Iwo Jima, making Iwo Jima the battle with the highest number of casualties in Marine Corps history with 7,000 killed and 13,000 wounded. Twenty-seven Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded in the battle, more than were awarded to Marines and Navy in any other battle in our country's history. After the capture of Iwo Jima, more than 30,000 American airmen's lives were saved when more than 2,400 disabled B-29 bombers were able to make emergency landings at the Iwo Jima airfield after making bombing flights over Japan. In 1968 the island was returned to Japan, and remains of Marines from the Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions were brought back to the U.S. for burial. Today, Madam Speaker, we remember these young men and women who fought for their country and made the world safe for their children. Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague on this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to thank once again the gentleman from Arizona for bringing forth this resolution today calling for a full accounting for Americans who are prisoners of war or for those who are missing in action. Our speakers, today, on both sides of the aisle, have spoken so eloquently, and I thank them so much for their comments. They are great Americans. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case). (Mr. CASE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks, and include extraneous material.)

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Resolution 18, introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks), my friend and colleague on the House Committee on Armed Services. This resolution today recognizes our Nation's commitment to the recovery and full accounting of Americans who are prisoners of war or who are in a missing status from current and previous conflicts, and in particular, it recognizes the actions of the 11th Airborne division and the Filipino guerrillas who participated in the liberation of an internment camp in the Philippines during World War II. Following the United States surrender on the Bataan Peninsula in April of 1942, thousands of Americans and Filipinos and Europeans, both military and civilian, were taken as prisoners of war by the Japanese. In the town of Los Banos, on the island of Luzon, over 2,000 civilians, including men, women and children, and 12 American Navy nurses, were held as captives. From May 14, 1943, until they were freed by Angels on February 3, 1945, they were held captive at the former agricultural school of the University of the Philippines. The 11th Airborne division, also known as the Angels, arrived at Leyte Beach in the Philippines on November 19, 1944. Their first objective was to clear a mountain pass from Burauen to Ormoc. After nearly 3 months of bitter fighting, the 11th Airborne had killed almost 6,000 enemy soldiers and had driven the Japanese from the pass and surrounding areas. On January 6, 1945, the Angels landed on the island of Luzon. Their mission was to clear enemy opposition on the major highway leading to Manila. As American forces successfully regained territory that was lost to the Japanese at the beginning of the war, General Douglas MacArthur became concerned that many of the prisoners would be killed before they could be rescued. The 11th Airborne division was given the responsibility of liberating the prisoners at Los Banos. The Angels worked with the Filipino guerrilla groups in the area to gain valuable information as to the layout of the camp, the schedules of the guards and other details that were essential for a successful mission. It is said that the rescue of the detainees at Los Banos was one of the most successful missions ever conducted. Not one prisoner was killed or seriously injured in the assault, and not one paratrooper of the battalion that was directly involved was killed. The historic rescue of Los Banos by the 11th Airborne and the Filipino guerrillas, and other efforts to recover prisoners of war and those missing in action are not forgotten. In fact, Mr. Speaker, they stand as testament to our Nation's strong commitment to ensure that no one will be left behind on the battlefield. Today, the Department of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Office continues to coordinate recovery activities and investigate locations from past conflicts to ensure a full accounting, a full accounting of those who remain missing in action from past conflicts. Mr. Speaker, I also wish to speak briefly in support of all POW/MIAs. Over the past 100 years, over 88,000 of our fighting men and women are still classified as missing in action, remains not recovered or remains unidentified. Every American who puts on the uniform of this Nation accepts the dangers that are entailed, and I am touched by the strong efforts to recover the remains of American servicemen and -women, and to find individuals who may still be alive. Every man or woman unaccounted for is a family who never knew the fate of a loved one, and it is fitting, Mr. Speaker, that our government never let a single American be left behind. It is important to the families of our fighting men and women, and it is the duty of this government to do so. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague on this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great man, Mr. William Bertrand Turner on this, his 100th birthday. Mr. Speaker, William Bertrand Turner was born on February 28, 1905 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and grew up a stone's throwaway from the famous Pasquotank River. Mr. Turner grew up there, was educated in the public school system, and eventually graduated from Elizabeth City State University. Mr. Turner's love for science lured him to Shaw University in the Capital city of North Carolina. He pursued his interest in Organic Chemistry during the height of the ``Roaring 20's'' and graduated in 1929, during the beginning stages of the Great Depression. Mr. Speaker, after his graduation from Shaw University, William Turner set his sights North, and began a quest for his Master's Degree at the renowned Cornell University in New York. Mr. Turner received his Masters Degree in his passion, Organic Chemistry in 1936. In 2001, Mr. Turner was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the American Chemical Society, the highest honor bestowed by that Society. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Turner has been married to Ms. Margaret Turner for 75 years. I am told that their love and admiration for one another is just as strong as the day they were married. Mr. and Mrs. Turner currently reside in Brownsmills, New Jersey; and while all North Carolinians long for their return, we wish them a wonderful life in New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring my constituent, Mr. William Bertrand Turner on his 100th birthday. I pray for many more to come.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns). (Mr. TOWNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 26, introduced by the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers). This resolution recognizes the Tuskegee Airmen for their brave and honorable service during World War II. The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is a phenomenal story, and it highlights the Tuskegee Airmen as shining examples of the perseverance and strength of the U.S. Air Corps as they faced the challenges of 21st century. It is fitting that we recognize such an outstanding group of individuals who were pioneers in integrating the Army Air Corps and, eventually, the Air Force as we celebrate Black History Month. The Tuskegee Airmen overcame prejudice and discrimination to become some of the most highly respected airmen of World War II. Until 1941, African Americans were denied the opportunity to become leaders in the military and they were prohibited from flying because it was believed that African Americans lacked the qualifications for such noble combat duty. African Americans have played a significant role in the history of our military over the past 300 years, and it was absurd to suggest that the ability was lacking. African Americans soldiers have fought in every war and have contributed so much of themselves to ensure this country's reputation as a superpower. The refusal to allow for black pilots was simply rank racism. It was the unshakeable belief by so many that this obvious bigotry was wrong that finally gave way to the historical beginning of the integrated United States Air Force. Distinguished men such as Booker T. Washington and General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., came to Macon County, Alabama, and reality created the legend that we know today. Booker T. Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute, which established a well-respected aeronautical engineering program; and thousands of students, including student officer Captain Benjamin Davis, who was in the first pilot class, went through the institute's flight program and became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen included not only over 1,000 fighter pilots, but they also included navigators, bombardiers and maintenance and support personnel that ultimately comprised the famed 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group. During World War II, the 99th Fighter Squadron, led by the late General Benjamin Davis, was originally sent to North Africa, but moved to the European continent and flew over Italy in 1944. The 99th held the record of 200 combat missions without losing a single bomber to enemy fire, a record for a squadron. It is therefore only fitting, Madam Speaker, that the Congress takes the time today to appropriately recognize the men who participated in the Tuskegee Experiment. No standards were lowered for the pilots or any of the others who trained in operations, in meteorology, in intelligence, in engineering, medicine or any of the other officer fields. The Tuskegee Airmen proved without a doubt that loyalty, bravery and sacrifice were not based on the ethnicity of an individual, but on their individual motivation, determination and devotion to duty. The men who participated in this great experiment were dedicated young men, possessing the strong personal desire to serve the United States of America at their best. They enlisted at a time when this country was engaged in enormous conflict, but they took on the challenge and they took on the responsibility and served with distinction. Today we honor their achievements and all of those who have taken the oath to defend this great country. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ruppersberger). (Mr. RUPPERSBERGER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver).

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

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

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.