Jim Clyburn

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. I thank my friend, Mr. Brown, for yielding me this time. Not since 9/11 have we been reminded so poignantly of the sacrifice our first responders make to protect our safety. These nine firefighters gave the ultimate sacrifice last night doing the jobs they loved. As Charlestonians, South Carolinians and Americans, we are grateful for their service and deeply saddened by their loss. Our hearts go out to their families and their colleagues. This devastating loss is one that touched the hearts of our entire Nation, and we grieve with them. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, ``Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generate by love and you can be that servant.'' These firefighters were public servants in the truest sense. They answered the call to serve their community, and today Charleston and South Carolina are better places for their service. Among the nine that perished was a combined 123 years of service to the Charleston Fire Department. This is a remarkable testament to their dedication and selflessness. Their experience and service cannot be replaced, and their contributions will not be forgotten. Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in a moment of silence. Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate one of South Carolina's most faithful and dedicated church leaders as he retires from the ministry. Rev. Dr. James O. ``J.O.'' Rich is a stalwart in upstate South Carolina where he has been the long-serving pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church and is the co-owner of Rich-Colonial Funeral Home. J.O. was born in Sumter, SC, where he attended Lincoln High School and went on to earn a bachelor's in divinity from Morris College. His dedication to the ministry led him to earn a master's in divinity from the International Theological Center, Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, GA. He completed further study at the Lutheran Southern Seminary, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Morris College in 1975. Dr. Rich truly committed himself to the teachings of the church and sought leadership positions to help share his faith with a wider audience. He served as president of Baptist education bodies on the State and national levels including the South Carolina Baptist Congress of Christian Education and the Progressive National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. Within in his own church, Dr. Rich helped expand the educational outreach opportunities. He oversaw the construction of St. Paul Baptist Church's Educational Center as a testament to the church's investment in spiritual and human growth. The center cost $600,000 to build in 1977, but stands today as a central part of the community and the church's outreach ministries. Throughout his career, Dr. Rich has been a lecturer and author as well. He has spoken on college and university campuses in South Carolina and across the Nation. He also served as the compilation editor of Foundations of Worship, a developmental meditation for families. Other publications by Dr. Rich include, Help, a study guide for Baptists, BTU Report, and articles in the Quiet Hour, the Worker, and In-Teen magazines. His work and dedication are not just isolated to the church. Dr. Rich believes strongly in giving back to the community. He did so by serving as president of the Anderson Branch of the NAACP for more than 20 years. He chaired the City of Anderson Community Development Corporation, and is a member of the Alston Wilkes Society, Inc., the South Carolina Christian Action Council, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Governor Dick Riley recognized Dr. Rich's dedication and honored him with South Carolina's highest honor, the Palmetto Award. Governor Riley also appointed Dr. Rich to serve as the Third Congressional District's representative to the State Council on Maternal, Infant and Child Health. It was a position for which Governor Carroll Campbell re- appointed him. In 1986, while serving as president of the Baptist E&M Convention of South Carolina, the Ford Foundation awarded the organization a $180,000 grant to fight teenage pregnancy. Housing issues are also very important to Dr. Rich. He served as the chairman of the Baptist Service Inc., the housing arm of the Baptist E&M Convention. And while serving as the moderator of the Rocky River Baptist Association, Dr. Rich initiated the building of the Rocky River Residential Care Home, a 60-unit complex for the elderly and handicapped in Anderson. As a result of all his outstanding community service and dedication to the ministry, his alma mater, Morris College, named one of its men's dormitories in his honor. He has also been the recipient of the Mamie L. Duckett Founder's Day Award given by Benedict College, the Jefferson Award conferred by WYFF-TV, the Howard McClain Christian Action Award issued by the Christian Action Council, and the Pastor of the Year Award granted by the Progressive National Baptist Convention. His leadership of St. Paul Baptist Church has been an inspiration, and his accomplishments there are too numerous to mention. Yet throughout his service, his loving wife, Arabella, their children Stanley and Stephanie, and now their daughter-in-law Phyllis and grandson Stanford, have been fully supportive of his efforts. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in commending Rev. Dr. J.O. Rich for his tremendous service to his faith and his community. He is a living testament to the Bible's admonition ``to whom much is given, much is required.'' Dr. Rich has been given extraordinary talents, and he has used them to honor his faith and his fellow man. I applaud the example he has set for others to follow, and wish him a wonderful retirement and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a wonderful woman who has dedicated her entire career to ensuring that our youngest students receive the best education possible. On Friday, May 25, 2007, Dr. Martha Jean Adams-Beggins is retiring as the Director of South Carolina State University's Family Life Center. Dr. Heggins' retirement is the culmination of a 43-year career in early childhood education. A native of Florence, South Carolina, Dr. Beggins began her teaching career there after graduating from South Carolina State University (SCSU) in 1964. She spent 2 years as a first grade teacher at Carver Elementary in Florence, and then went on to teach in Cope and Orangeburg, South Carolina before deciding to pursue her master's at Bank Street College of Education in New York. After she earned her advanced degree, Dr. Beggins returned to South Carolina to teach kindergarten at Felton Laboratory School at SCSU. The following year, she became an instructor at the university and went on to become the Assistant Director of Student Teaching. However, Martha Heggins knew she wanted to pursue her doctorate and moved to New Jersey to attend Rutgers University. While earning her PhD, she was an Instructor of Early Childhood Education, a Teaching Assistant in the Urban Education Department, and the Director of Demonstration Day Care Learning Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She received a Ford Foundation Research Award for her ``Study of the Relationship of Logical Thinking to School Achievement in Elementary School Children.'' Upon earning her doctorate, Dr. Heggins returned home to South Carolina and her beloved SCSU. In 1975, she became an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education and has not left the university since. Over the years, Dr. Beggins has become a highly valued member of SCSU's education department. She has served as an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Director of the Title XX Project, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, and in 1982 became a full Professor. Dr. Heggins has implemented, directed and served as the Coordinator of the Undergraduate and Graduate Early Childhood Programs at SCSU. Since 1999, she has served as the Director of SCSU's Family Life Center. In this position, she oversees a program for at-risk students and parents from the poorest neighborhoods in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The program focuses on 6 core areas: academic development, personal development, career enrichment, cultural enrichment, family bonding, and recreational development. Under Dr. Heggins' leadership, the program has received national recognition by the Family and Community Violence Prevention Program at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Dr. Beggins has also been involved with the Orangeburg Gang Summit Task Force. She is a member of the America Association of University Women, the Association for Childhood Education International, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the South Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Organization for Women, Phi Delta Kappa International, and Kappa Omicron Nu. Dr. Heggins has received numerous honors including Teacher of the Year 1991-92 for SCSU's School of Education; Distinguish Faculty Chair 1982-83 at SCSU; and inclusion in a number of Who's Who listings. She is the organizer, founder and vice president of the National Black Child Development Institute at SCSU, which is the first undergraduate chapter in the United States. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding Dr. Martha Jean Adams-Heggins for her exemplary career. I commend her dedication to educating young people and to ensuring that those with the least among us are given the tools necessary to succeed in life. I wish her a wonderful retirement and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the issue of the Iraqi supplemental that we are currently about to redo. As you know, Mr. Speaker, the President in his regional message indicated that the bill ``is loaded with billions of dollars in nonemergency spending that has nothing to do with fighting the war on terror.'' He went on to say that Congress should debate these spending measures on their own merits and not as a part of an emergency funding bill for our troops. Mr. Speaker, for 19 months now, we have been trying to get this administration to pay attention to the people on the gulf coast. We have for weeks and months been trying to get the President to support our efforts to make sure that many of the families and friends of our troops, who have been affected in Louisiana, Mississippi, and even in Florida and Texas by this catastrophic event perpetrated by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, get help. Today, we have not been able to get the President to support our efforts as we have tried to address these emergencies. And so, Mr. Speaker, since we are doing an emergency spending bill, we thought it very appropriate for us to do both international and domestic emergencies all in one piece of legislation. Consequently, we have moved in this legislation to address issues such as the East and West Bank Levee Protection and Coastal Restoration System in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes by inserting into this legislation $1.3 billion. We have added another $30 million for K-12 education recruitment assistance, another $30 million for higher education assistance. I plan to be in Baton Rouge next week to address Southern University's commencement exercises. I would hope that, as I go there, I can carry them more than mere promises to get them to feeling, once again, that we in this body are paying attention to and responding to the problems that they are suffering, many of them having lost a full year out of their educational pursuits. I would hope that those children in K through 12 can begin to feel that here in this Congress, with this emergency supplemental, that we are going to respond to them as well. And then there is the Community Disaster Loan Forgiveness Program. We have put language in this bill to address that issue, $4.3 billion for FEMA disaster recovery grants. These State and local grants will be waived, meaning that the Federal Government will be able to finance 100 percent of the grants. We have been trying for a long time now to get this administration to treat the victims of Katrina, Rita and Wilma in the same way we treated disasters after 9/11 in New York, the same way we treated the earthquakes in California, the same way we treated the Hurricane Andrew down in Florida some years ago and Hurricane Anika out in Hawaii. In each one of those instances, we waived matching requirements. In this instance, we have not. And so we want, in this administration, to waive those requirements of the Stafford Act, the matching requirements, so that we can begin to address these emergencies. There are other emergencies that we plan to address here, and that is the Children's Health Insurance Program. We think, with 14 States out of money, another 3 States expected to be out of money by September 1, it is an emergency for the children in those 17 States, and I would hope that when we put the final bill together to send back to the President, we will address these emergencies that we have with our people here at home.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Last night, Mr. Speaker, I re-read Martin Luther King, Jr.'s ``Letter from a Birmingham City Jail.'' In that letter, King dealt with the notion of timing. He said to us that time is never right; time is never wrong; that time actually is neutral, and it's only what we make it. We can use it constructively, or we can use it destructively. King went on to say that it's always the right time to do that which is right. Now, a lot of people on yesterday told me that this was the wrong time to bring this legislation. For a moment, I agreed. But reflecting on Dr. King's admonition that the time is always right to do right, I come before this body today to ask us to use the time that we have before us to do right by those people who may not be like us.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great source of pride for my alma mater, South Carolina State University, and our nation's military. The SC State Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) celebrates its 60th anniversary on April 20, 2007. This tremendous program, known as the Bulldog Battalion, has commissioned nearly 2,000 officers in the armed forces, and it has produced nine Army Generals, two Marine Corps Generals and one Air Force General, while contributing a significant number of highly qualified and dedicated soldiers to our nation's military. Among SC State's notable ROTC graduates are Major General Abraham Turner, a 1976 graduate, who served as the Commanding Officer of Fort Jackson, the Army's largest training base in my hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. Second Lieutenant Jerrette Lee, class of 1983, was chosen during his senior year for the coveted Hughes Award, becoming the first African American and graduate of a Historically Black College or University to receive the honor granted to the top ROTC graduate of the year. Another proud Bulldog Battalion graduate, Colonel Stephen Twitty, led an infantry battalion into Iraq during the early stages of the war on August 18, 2003. His leadership earned him the Silver Star medal for valor. The remarkable record of the SC State ROTC is due in part to its rich history and tradition. The program was established in 1947 for the purpose of training infantry officers for the United States Army. In 1949, the program graduated its first class with five of the six graduates receiving Army commissions and the sixth joining the Army Reserves. In 1954, the program expanded its mission beyond producing only infantry officers. Instead, the ROTC became a General Military Science Program, which enabled graduates to serve in any branch of the Anny for which they qualified. From 1947 until 1968, all freshman and sophomore male students were required to enroll in the ROTC program at SC State. Since I am a 1961 graduate, I had the privilege of being part of this tremendous Bulldog Battalion program. In 1968, SC State partnered with Claflin University, Voorhees College, Orangeburg Technical College and Denmark Technical College to provide ROTC training through SC State's program. The program expanded again in 1972 to allow female cadets to enter for the first time. Today, a total of 254 women have graduated from SC State's ROTC. Graduates of this prestigious program have participated in every military conflict from World War I to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, representing America with great skill and honor. Today the Bulldog Battalion averages an enrollment of 100 cadets. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring South Carolina State University's ROTC program on the occasion of its 60th anniversary. It is my great privilege to have experienced this wonderful ROTC program firsthand and to congratulate the program and its graduates today for their extraordinary contributions to our country. America owes a debt of gratitude to South Carolina State for supporting this extraordinary tradition of military excellence and to its graduates for making their alma mater and their nation proud.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Thank you very much, Mr. Spratt, for yielding me the time. And I want to thank you for putting together one of the most responsible documents that I have seen in my almost 15 years here in the House of Representatives. This Democrat budget is a giant step in the right direction. This budget lowers taxes on middle-class families. It does not contain one penny of new taxes. Instead, our budget explicitly provides middle- income tax credits, including the marriage penalty, child tax credit, the 10 percent bracket, and the deduction for State and local taxes. This House budget provides immediate relief for 23 million middle- income families who would otherwise be subjected to the alternative minimum tax and provides for a permanent fix. I will tell you what I am particularly appreciative of in this budget. This budget responds to the ongoing recovery for the people of the gulf coast region here in our country. It creates a reserve fund of $3.4 billion and provides an additional $1 billion that could be used to meet urgent recovery needs. This budget maintains the President's tax cuts for 2008, for 2009 and for 2010; and it says, explicitly, that we can extend tax cuts beyond the sunset that the Republicans put in for 2010. But if we extend these tax cuts, we must subject these tax cuts to the same PAYGO rules that we subject new programs to. So there is no cut here. There is responsibility here. And I thank John Spratt for meeting that responsibility.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding me this time. As we work to craft this legislation and build consensus, Americans read headlines that said something like: ``Democrats divided, Democrats in disarray.'' But the truth is we were being deliberative. We spent weeks listening to the diverse members of our caucus, folding their input into this bill, and I am confident we have produced a strong and pivotal piece of legislation because we drew from the broad spectrum of all of our Members. We are a diverse caucus and our diverse experiences and backgrounds reflect the priorities and perspectives of all Americans. I am proud of our caucus and this legislation we have produced. We all seek to heal our Nation by ending the Iraq war. For the first time in 4 years, almost to the date, we have an opportunity to vote for binding legislation that changes the course in the Iraq war. This legislation ensures that the United States forces in the field have all the resources that they require, directs more resources to the war against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, improves health care for returning servicemembers and veterans. But most of all, it sets benchmarks and time lines for ending our participation in Iraq. We all seek to heal our brothers and sisters in the gulf coast who have been struggling for 18 months against the solid indifference of this administration. The emergency supplemental bill waives the 25 percent match required by the Stafford Act so that the victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma can get the service they deserve. This supplemental is also good medicine for the children in 14 States who have lost their health care. It contains $750 million to fix that problem. This bill also is good tonic for our veterans and active military who in many instances are suffering as much from broken promises as they are from broken limbs. This legislation includes money to fix Walter Reed Hospital, gives better military health to our military men, improves veteran housing, and I want to say, Mr. Speaker, I do not quarrel with those people who see this as a vote of conscience. I believe it is unconscionable to ignore children without health care. It is unconscionable to leave survivors of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma without disaster assistance. It is unconscionable to ask our soldiers to fight a war and not provide them adequate training and equipment, and I sincerely believe it is unconscionable to allow this open-ended war to continue, when with this bill, we can begin its ending.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations to the outstanding members of the South Carolina AAA High School Boys' Basketball State Championship team, the Wilson High School Tigers, and their exceptional coach, Bob Wilson. Wilson High School is located in the 6th Congressional District which I proudly represent. On Saturday night, March 3, Coach Wilson led the Tigers to the first State Championship for a Florence team in 20 years. That State Championship game took place at the Colonial Center in Columbia, South Carolina. And although the Tigers did not score a single point until the 4th minute of the game, they gathered their wits and started playing with true determination and it all paid off in the end. I am proud of these exceptional athletes and so is their community. They won 23 out of their 29 games this season. It requires a great deal of discipline to properly balance athleticism and academic requirements, but these young men have excelled at both. There are six seniors on the team this year, and all of them deserve congratulations for their hard work this season. Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate each of them on behalf of this Congress: Sam Muldrow, Dominique Lacy, Antwain Lyde, Greg White, Rico Young, Dalwayne Rhodes, Hiram Echols, Jamal Banks, Jamar Graham, Denzel Belin, Daron Cooper, Tracy McFadden, Shamel Brackett, Alan- Michael Thompson, and Trevonte Dixon. Their assistant coaches, Pete McCants, Rodney Barr, and David Littlefield, also deserve recognition for their hard work and devotion to these young men. Coach Wilson's career speaks for itself: before coming to Wilson High School in 2000, he spent 5 years as head basketball coach for West Florence High School. Prior to becoming a head coach, he served as an assistant at Francis Marion University and West Florence High School. Remarkably, Coach Wilson was involved in another historic state championship for Florence: he was the assistant coach when West Florence High School won the State Championship in 1986, the last time a Florence basketball team had won until this season. Throughout his career, Coach Wilson has been a sterling example to his players both on and off the court. The entire State of South Carolina is fortunate to have such a dedicated and tireless advocate and role model for young men and women. Madam Speaker, I admire the effort and teamwork the members of this team have demonstrated throughout the season and I ask you and my colleagues to join me in wishing them good luck and Godspeed in the future.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Reverend Dr. Levi C. Chavous on the occasion of his retirement as Pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church in Columbia, SC. Reverend Chavous began his tenure at Ridgewood in 1967, becoming the church's third pastor. Throughout his 40 years of continuous service, Reverend Chavous has demonstrated extraordinary faith and leadership to the church, the Ridgewood community, and the religious life of the entire state. A native of Aiken, Reverend Chavous entered the ministry 57 years ago. In preparation for the ministry, he received degrees from Florida Normal College and Union Seminary. Early in his career in the ministry, Reverend Chavous pastored several churches across South Carolina. Under Reverend Chavous' leadership, Ridgewood Baptist experienced tremendous growth in membership and established important new ministries and programs. Among the highlights are: the 7:45 a.m. Worship Service, the weekly Bible Study Class, the L.C. Chavous Ushers, the Tape and Sound Ministry, the Cherubs Choir, the Pulpit Aid Club, and the Christian Education Board. Reverend Chavous also commissioned the first recorded history of the church and established the Ridgewood Foundation. In addition to new programs and organizations, Reverend Chavous oversaw the expansion of the church campus by acquiring the Mack's Nursery, the historic Holloway House, and additional parking. The crowning achievement of his administration was the construction of the Ridgewood Family Life Center, which was recently named in his honor. Reverend Chavous has also served the greater community through his membership on the boards of Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina and his alma mater, Florida Normal College. Furthermore, he previously served as Moderator of the Gethsemane Association and President of the Fellowship Union; and has been active in the Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, Reverend Levi C. Chavous has touched the lives of numerous individuals, and made an indelible impact on the members of his church and the entire community. Along with his lovely wife, Mrs. Lucille S. Chavous, he has won the admiration and respect of the members of the Ridgewood Baptist Church for his 40 years of dedicated service. On Sunday, March 25, 2007, Reverend Chavous will preach his final sermon as Pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church and I wish him well and godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, as a former public school teacher who started his educational pursuits as a 4-year-old in his mother's kindergarten, I proudly rise in support of H.R. 584, legislation to designate the headquarters building of the Department of Education here in Washington as the Lyndon Baines Johnson Federal Building. Madam Speaker, most people remember President Johnson for his poise and confidence as he assumed the Presidency during a turbulent and mournful time for our Nation. He is also remembered for his leadership and vision with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It was his support in the White House for a movement that I and my brothers and sisters were fighting for on buses and at lunch counters throughout the South and helped bring here today. But I give special thanks to his work in an area that is dear to my heart, education. President Johnson recognized the power of education to strengthen the Nation and help bring people out of poverty. He made his name as the first education President by signing into law over 60 education bills during his Presidency, most notably the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the Higher Education Act of 1965. He was the first President to recognize the need for strong Federal investment in education, backing programs that funded not only elementary and secondary education, but higher education with the Federal student loan program for college and graduate school students. He gave us the Head Start Program, which since its inception has helped millions of disadvantaged children get off on the right foot by providing health, nutritional and educational assistance, recognizing that an investment in our children at an early age pays off in the long run. His domestic vision for this country was revolutionary in the areas of civil rights and the fighting of poverty. We still see the benefits of his vision for a Great Society today. That is why I am proud to join my colleagues in passing this legislation to designate the Department of Education, the first Federal building in Washington to bear his name. I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time, and I thank her for her leadership.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise in recognition of the highly successful career and notable achievements of Ms. Ellen Wallace Buchanan. On February 28, 2007, Ellen retired as Chief of Staff for Representative John Spratt (D-SC), after over 30 years of service to the United States House of Representatives. Ellen was raised in my home state of South Carolina by a father who was a probate judge and a mother who was a school teacher. Her parents instilled in her the importance of service to community and country. After receiving her Bachelor's degree in Education from Winthrop University, Ms. Buchanan followed in her mother's footsteps, beginning her career as an elementary school teacher in Charleston, SC. In a career move that would enable her to further serve her community while engaging her fascination with government, Ellen accepted a position as Staff Assistant with former Congressman Kenneth Holland (D- SC) in 1976. During her six-year tenure in former Congressman Holland's office she was given roles of increasing responsibility. When John Spratt succeeded Congressman Holland, Ellen continued her service to the United States House of Representatives starting as Congressman Spratt's Legislative Assistant and rising to become his Chief of Staff. Ellen's tenure in the House can be described in one way--passion for her work. She especially enjoyed taking part in campaigns. In her words, ``It reenergizes you to be with your supporters.'' In addition to her exceptional leadership skills, Ellen possesses an extremely pleasing personal demeanor. She is loved by all who know her. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my staff, and the constituents of the 6th District of South Carolina, I ask you and my colleagues to join us in saluting the contributions of Ellen Wallace Buchanan and wish her well in the years to come.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 67) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 2 of House Resolution 157, and as the designee of the majority leader, I demand that the time for debate on the concurrent resolution be enlarged by 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the leaders or their designees.

Mr. CLYBURN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the debate we join today is essentially over the matter of sending 20,000 more American troops into Iraq. Over the past 2 days, some deeply felt sentiments have been expressed in this Hall by some patriotic and honorable Americans from all walks of life and on both sides of the aisle. And I respect and appreciate the intensity of those feelings. If this were the only issue, if the matter were only a matter of troop strength and numbers, then the issue would lend itself to military and strategic solutions and we would not be having this debate. That is not the real issue, however. That is not the reason that every Member of this Congress is being granted the opportunity to speak on this issue. No, my fellow Members of Congress, the real issue we are addressing today is not that simple. The real issue goes to the very heart of our American democracy. Last November the American people voted for a change in leadership. They did so overwhelmingly because they want a new direction in Iraq. The American people also voted for a new Congress, because they had lost faith in the old one. As a Congress, we had lost our footing, and as a result, our Nation lost its way on the international stage. I believe that last November's call for a new direction in Iraq is also rooted in our lost faith in those who are leading that nation. We were stung when Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki seemed to offer amnesty to Iraqi insurgents that killed Americans. We have been robbed by the disappearance of billions of dollars sent to Iraq in good faith to help build the country. We have been deceived by the promise of trained Iraqi police forces who should be prepared to provide law and order for their country, but instead ally themselves with insurgents. I traveled with some of you to Iraq last Memorial Day, and enjoyed what I thought was one of the best meetings of the trip with the Iraqi Speaker of the Council of Representatives. The optimism I felt following that meeting was destroyed when, just days after our return home, I heard the Iraqi Speaker denigrating American efforts in his country. We in the new leadership of Congress do not stand here as defeatists and not as opponents of this Nation's best interest. Only fools could reach that kind of conclusion from this discussion. We stand here today to say there is a victory to be achieved, but it is not a military conquest. The victory we seek is earned through the restoration of America's role as peacemaker, not warmonger. It begins with the restoration of this Congress, as the deliberative arbiter and representative of the best interest of the American people. It begins with the understanding and acceptance of this Congress as a full partner in the future of this activity. Many of us have seen firsthand and witnessed firsthand the realities of our presence in Iraq. Many of us have informed ourselves as fully as possible on the complexity of the problems we face. Many of us have agonized over the dangers and hazards which lie ahead, no matter which direction we take. We do not take these steps lightly. Now we stand ready to create new paths to new victories. We stand ready to initiate the kind of victories, which will restore America's respect around the world and self-confidence here at home. We cannot achieve this by military might, but by diplomacy. The need for a stable Iraq is not just an American interest, it is a regional and global concern. Iraq's neighbors must be brought to the table. American troops must disengage from the Red Zone and redeploy to the outskirts of Iraq where they can remain at the ready and not serve as targets for insurgents. The best way for the Iraqi Government to gain the trust of the American people is for them to step up and take control of their country's security. We say today that the victories we seek are real victories, permanent victories, victories of a Nation which still believes that the voice of the people is our final and best judgment. With this debate, we are taking steps to regain our footing as a Congress and chart a new way forward on the international stage. I am hopeful this debate will not only be heard, but will be accepted as the moment at which America turned its face toward a triumph of enormous proportions, a triumph for peace and a triumph for democracy everywhere

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, as we listen to our constituents, grapple with their needs, speak out, legislate, and otherwise work to improve their lives and the life of our Nation, we take great pride in the ability of Congress and our system of government to inspire the world beyond our borders. But just as important as this inspiration is the recognition of what we all can learn from that world, from people who want to study, visit or otherwise immerse themselves in this great institution as a means towards better understanding the United States. For the last 8 years, a unique international exchange has taken place here in Congress. Future leaders of Australia have participated in what's known as the Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program. Through this program each year, one dozen of Australia's best and brightest university students have been carefully matched to House and Senate offices for two-month full-time internships. These internships have enabled me and many of my colleagues to share our pride in the American republic while at the same time learning more firsthand about the Australian commonwealth, its people, its ideas, and our numerous shared values. It is an understatement to say that Australia and the United States are close allies globally or that we merely have such similarities as vibrant democracies, free-enterprise economies, and diverse societies. We are in many ways close cousins with complex national histories. That is what these young Australians get to learn as they are welcomed here, and how we profit by their all-too-brief presence among us. This year, it has been my pleasure to participate in this program for the third time and host Sylvia Gaston from the University of Melbourne. Her kindness, can-do spirit, eagerness to learn, and willingness to share her views with me and my staff have made her an exceptional ambassador for her university and for her country. During her time with us, the closeness of the Australian and American peoples is clearly evident, just as it is evident that this exchange is not merely an academic exercise or even confined to Congress. It is about building for tomorrow, about personal and professional growth, and about lasting international friendships. Sylvia is not alone in this experience in the First Session of the 110th Congress. Joining her in this very bipartisan effort: Emmanuel Rohan in the office of Representative Mike Castle; Charis Tierney in the office of Senator Mike Crapo; Nicole Woodmansey in the office of Senator Christopher Dodd; Clare Ashby in the office of Representative Philip English; Anna Keenan in the office of Representative Sam Farr; Nisha Sundaresan in the office of Senator Chuck Hagel; Anu Ambikaipalan in the office of Representative Alcee Hastings; Megan Bainbridge in the office of Representative Jerrold Nadler; Stuart Broadfoot in the office of Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; Jennifer Grant in the office of Representative Loretta Sanchez; and, Michael Ng at House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (Majority). Both the U.S. and Australian Governments have been strong supporters of this exchange over the years, and rightly so. Seven Australian universities currently participate in the program from 4 of the 6 Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory. Students are put forward from such diverse disciplines as economics, commerce, trade, science, law, communications, politics, and of course, American studies. One of the more noteworthy aspects of the program is that it is an entirely pro bono project. Eric Federing, who served as a senior staffer in the House and Senate for a dozen years in the 1980s and 1990s, created the program 8 years ago soon after going to work for the auditing firm KPMG. What the effort almost completely lacks in bureaucracy, it makes up for in the personal trust, practical purpose and contagious enthusiasm that gave life to this highly-personalized vision of international exchange, which followed Eric's many travels to Australia in the 1990s while still on congressional staff. Madam Speaker, many of my colleagues have recognized this effort over the years. I did so myself 4 years ago when the annual intern group was much smaller and drawn from only a single Australian university. It is heartening to see how much this program has grown, thrived, and how tribute has been paid not just here but in the Australian Parliament. In conclusion, Madam Speaker, there is so much we can learn when we connect people, whether here at home or around the world. Technology has greatly reduced what the Australians would call the ``Tyranny of Distance.'' But only when you meet with and sit down with someone from another city, another state, or another country can you fully understand and appreciate the world through their eyes and divine where common ground can be found and endure. My great hope is not only that this program continues, but that others will be founded in its spirit and focused towards as many peoples and places as possible in our world.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I, too, wish to offer my congratulations to those who have done so well, Mr. Speaker, Karen Haas and Mr. Jay Eagen in their duties and responsibilities to all of us as Members of this body. I am a little bit interested in some of the convenient memory that is taking place here. I happen to recall, Mr. Speaker, that in 1995 we had a CAO appointed; and, of course, I was a member of the bipartisan group that was selected by this body to hire Mr. Eagen. I was one of the ones that interviewed him, as well as others, and was one of the ones that decided to put him in the capacity that he is in. So I just wanted to say to my friends on the other side that we hired Mr. Eagen to clean up a mess that was not created by those who were in power. It was created by the gentleman who took the office in 1995. I would want us to be careful about how we recall the history of this, because that is the way all of this developed, and I was on that group that helped to clean it up with the hiring of Mr. Eagen. He has done a professional job. I want to thank him for that. I, too, have met with Mr. Beard; and I have known Mrs. Lorraine Miller for a long, long time. I think she is an excellent choice. I think she is going to do great work for this institution, and I join with those who see this as a history-making and I think marble-ceiling- shattering appointment. But when I met with Mr. Beard I said to him that I recognized his professional background. But I also said to him that I had one wish of him, that he carry out his duties and responsibilities in a professional manner. But I said to him when I spoke with him that this is my first elected job. I have been director or manager of something all of my life before coming here. And one of the things I learned as a manager is that you have to try to balance efficiency and effectiveness. And in order to do the work of this body, I want all of those people who assume positions to be efficient. But I also would like to see the work done be effective. And to do so, we have to, I think, recognize the individual worth that exists in every human being. There are a lot of people working in and around this building who we sometimes don't see, but they come under the purview of the Chief Administrative Officer. So I asked Mr. Beard to remember, as he carried out his duties and responsibilities, that we must always work to balance out efficiency and effectiveness. So I think they will make good additions to the work here in this body, and I want to thank them for being willing to serve and thank the Speaker for making this appointment. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 129.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a South Carolina businessman, who has been honored by his peers for his extraordinary work. Phillip Andrew ``Andy'' Stout owns and operates the Shoney's restaurant just minutes from my Santee, South Carolina office, and he has been recognized as the Shoney's 2006 Franchisee of the Year. Andy Stout operates five Shoney's in South Carolina, and owns three of them. In addition to his recognition as Franchisee of the Year, two of Mr. Stout's restaurants were honored for their outstanding sales. This recognition did not come easily. Mr. Stout learned to excel in his profession by starting at the ground level and working his way up. As a teenager, he began working as a busboy in his stepfather's Shoney's restaurant in Sumter, South Carolina. Two years later, he moved up to become Kitchen Manager. Mr. Stout then took a short break from Shoney's to serve as General Manager of a Captain D's restaurant. However, he took that experience and used it to become General Manager of Shoney's in Sumter. His years of hard work and training paid off in 1994, when he formed P.A.S. Enterprises and purchased his first Shoney's in Manning, South Carolina. He added to his holdings in 2003 and 2005 by purchasing Shoney's in Santee and Dillon respectively. Mr. Stout continues to oversee the daily operations of the Sumter Shoney's and is a partner in the Shoney's in Walterboro. Mr. Stout has received numerous awards for the performance of his Shoney's restaurants in addition to his 2006 Franchisee of the Year award. He also takes time to serve on the Board of Shoney's Franchise Advisor Council, and he serves his community on the Board of Trustees at Thomas Sumter Academy. He is married to Donna L. Stout and together they have six children, Nicole, Rina, Austin, Elizabeth, Olin and Rebekah Ann. I speak often of the need to improve the plight of counties along the I-95 corridor, and I commend Mr. Stout for the example he sets in running these successful businesses along I-95. His story shows that hard work and initiative can create opportunities for oneself and for one's community. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding Andy Stout for his entrepreneurial spirit and his leadership in the Shoney's organization and the community. I have been a customer in several of his restaurants and can attest to the quality of service they provide. I wish him continued success and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a legend in South Carolina aviation, community activist, and real humanitarian, Jimmie L. ``Jim'' Hamilton. Jim is a true friend to me and to many other South Carolinians whose lives he has touched through his work and his service. Although Jim Hamilton has been recognized as South Carolina Aviator of the Year, been awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor in South Carolina; and received the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas Walt Disney Award, he remains a humble man whose big heart and bigger personality mask the adversities he has faced. The son of a commercial fisherman and ship maintenance father, Jim grew up in Florida's Lower Matecumbe Key, where he was the only school- aged child. He took a boat to school, until his family relocated to Miami, where he attended high school. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Jim's career in the military would change the course of his life. He became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, but he always wanted to be a pilot. Since the Army required officers to fly, Jim applied to officer training school and was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. From 1949-1958, he flew spotter planes for the Army. Jim maintains that learning to fly shaped his character and taught him honor and determination. When Jim left the Army in 1958, he became a flight instructor and Jack-of-all-trades with Aircraft Sales and Service at the Metropolitan Airport in Columbia, South Carolina, but he always wanted to own his own business. In 1961, Jim's life changed completely when his wife, Geraldine, died in a car accident. He was left to care for 3 young boys. His mother moved to Columbia from Florida to manage the household, and just a few months later, Jim was managing Owens Field airport. The next year, he opened Midlands Aviation in a 1-room office in the Five Points area of Columbia. He got a contract selling Cessna airplanes, and when he sold the 50,000th plane Cessna manufactured, his fledgling company got a lot of attention in the trade publications. This launched his business to new heights. From the early days of his business, Jim realized there was a need for support of private airplane owners in Columbia. He had to pay to keep his stock of Cessnas at Owens Field, and he had to transport them to Aiken to be serviced. So in 1964, Jim moved Midlands Aviation onsite at Owens Field. He used a trailer as his office and installed fuel tanks nearby. Later he was able to purchase the building that once housed the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission. For 44 years, Jim provided fuel, parts and service at Owens Field, a contract that he sold in October 2006. He has also managed the county- owned airport since 1961, and continues to do so earning a salary of $1 per month. One could say that Owens Field is Jim Hamilton's life. However, there is so much more to Jim Hamilton. In 1974, he started the Jamil Flying Fezzes, which provides free flights for handicapped or burned children to specialty hospitals. He mentors fourth graders through the Rotary Club, helps the Salvation Army recruit bell ringers at Christmas, and for the last 10 years he has driven ladies in a local retirement home on weekly shopping trips. He has also been a member of the South Carolina Board for Mental Retardation and the Babcock Center Board. Jim has served 3 4-year terms on the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, and served as its Chairman twice. He has served 2 terms as President of the South Carolina Aviation Trades Association. He was elected Governor and Key man of the Columbia Hangar ``Quiet Birdmen.'' And he has dedicated much of his spare time to educating young people about the adventures of flying. Jim has been married to his second wife, Patricia, since 1966, and between them they have 5 children. Jimmie Jr., his oldest son and a talented airplane mechanic, tragically drowned in 2000. Despite the difficulties and tragedies in his personal life, Jim has always put others needs ahead of his own. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me today in recognizing the extraordinary contributions of Jim Hamilton. He is an outstanding businessman and community leader, who has overcome many challenges in his life and still put others first. He says that flying taught him honor and dedication, and there are many people today who thank Jim Hamilton for passing those qualities along to them.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, every year at this time I read the ``Letter from Birmingham Jail,'' written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and after these many decades, it still brings new inspiration and insight with every read. As I consider the challenges we face nationally and internationally, I am struck by Dr. King's words, ``More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.'' Let us break our silence in Congress and across this country on the issues of poverty, education, health care, and Iraq among other things. The people of good will must join together to provide for the common good. I would like to submit a truncated version of Dr. Martin Luther King's ``Letter from a Birmingham Jail'' to the Record in the hopes that we can all move forward with the social consciousness Dr. King preached of. Excerpts From Letter From Birmingham Jail* April 16, 1963 My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities ``unwise and untimely.'' Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statements in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms . . . Author's Note: This response to a published statement by eight fellow clergymen from Alabama (Bishop C. C. J. Carpenter, Bishop Joseph A. Durick, Rabbi Hilton L. Grafman, Bishop Paul Hardin, Bishop Holan B. Harmon, the Reverend George M. Murray, the Reverend Edward V. Ramage and the Reverend Earl Stallings) was composed under somewhat constricting circumstance. Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement appeared while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of writing paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty, and concluded on a pad my attorneys were eventually permitted to leave me. Although the text remains in substance unaltered, I have indulged in the author's prerogative of polishing it for publication. But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their ``thus saith the Lord'' far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid . . . Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ``outside agitator'' idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds . . . You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative . . . As in so many past experiences, our hopes had been blasted, and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us. We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties involved, we decided to undertake a process of self-purification. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves: ``Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?'' ``Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?'' We decided to schedule our direct-action program for the Easter season, realizing that except for Christmas, this is the main shopping period of the year. Knowing that a strong economic with with-drawl program would be the by-product of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change . . . We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct- action campaign that was ``well timed'' in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ``Wait!'' It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ``Wait'' has almost always meant `Never.' '' We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ``justice too long delayed is justice denied . . .'' We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging dark of segregation to say, ``Wait.'' But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son who is asking: ``Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?''; when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading ``white'' and ``colored''; when your first name becomes ``nigger,'' your middle name becomes ``boy'' (however old you are) and your last name becomes ``John,'' and your wife and mother are never given the respected title ``Mrs.''; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you know forever fighting a degenerating sense of ``nobodiness'' then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience . . . I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ``order'' than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: ``I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action''; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a ``more convenient season.'' Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection . . . Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. Consciously or unconsciously, he has been caught up by the Zeitgeist, and with his black brothers of Africa and his brown and yellow brothers of Asia, South America and the Caribbean, the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice. If one recognizes this vital urge that has engulfed the Negro community, one should readily understand why public demonstrations are taking place. The Negro has many pent-up resentments and latent frustrations, and he must release them. So let him march; let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; let him go on freedom rides-- and try to understand why he must do so. If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence; this is not a threat but a fact of history. So I have not said to my people: ``Get rid of your discontent.'' Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. And now this approach is being termed extremist . . . But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: ``Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.'' Was not Amos an extremist for justice: ``Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever- flowing stream.'' Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: ``I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.'' Was not Martin Luther an extremist: ``Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.'' And John Bunyan: ``I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.'' And Abraham Lincoln: ``This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.'' And Thomas Jefferson: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . .'' So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. We be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremist for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jeans Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists . . . But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it vi lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust . . . I wish you had commended the Negro sit-inners and demonstrators of Birmingham for their sublime courage, their willingness to suffer and their amazing discipline in the midst of great provocation. One day the South will recognize its real heroes. They will be the James Merediths, with the noble sense of purpose that enables them to face Jeering, and hostile mobs, and with the agonizing loneliness that characterizes the life of the pioneer. They will be old, oppressed, battered Negro women, symbolized in a seventy-two- year-old woman in Montgomery, Alabama, who rose up with a sense of dignity and with her people decided not to ride segregated buses, and who responded with ungrammatical profundity to one who inquired about her weariness: ``My fleets is tired, but my soul is at rest.'' They be the young high school and college students, the young ministers of the gospel and a host of their elders, courageously and nonviolently sitting in at lunch counters and willingly going to jail for conscience' sake. One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters, they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judaeo-Christian heritage, thereby bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in their formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence . . . I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother. Let us. all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty . . . Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a medical pioneer, Dr. Carl E. Yaeger, Jr. Dr. Yaeger is the recipient of the Trailblazer Award, a recognition bestowed upon him for his extraordinary contributions to his profession. Carl Yaeger was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of another trailblazer, Dr. Carl Yaeger, Sr. founder of the Yaeger Clinic in Long Island, New York. Carl Jr. came to my home State of South Carolina to practice his profession after graduating from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic and Center States College of Physiatrics. In 1956, Dr. Yaeger joined his father in Miami, Florida to open the Yaeger Clinic there. It is one of the oldest African American owned medical facilities in the country. Over the years, Dr. Yaeger built a tremendous clientele. He has provided health care to several generations of patients, treated disaster victims and delivered over 400 babies in the clinic's four-bed maternity ward. Some patients were so loyal to Dr. Yaeger they traveled from as far as Georgia and the Bahamas regularly to see him. He counts among his more than 100,000 patients, Muhammad Ali, who came to his clinic while living in Miami in the 1960s. He continued an active Naturopathic and Chiropractic medical practice until 2005. Dr. Yaeger continues to serve on the executive board of the Yaeger Foundation, Inc. and is actively involved in the organization's establishment of the National Medical Museum. Among Dr. Yaeger's many contributions, was his appointment as Chairman of the Florida Board of Naturopathic Medicine by Governors Rubin Askew and Bob Graham. He also provided internships to aspiring health care professionals and free medical services to indigent patients. Dr. Yaeger has been the recipient of many other honors including the Florida Chiropractic Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as the President of the Florida Naturopathic Physicians Association and was a member of the Practice Parameters Advisory Committee of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Outside his professional affiliations, Dr. Yaeger has been a civil rights activist that helped integrate many of Miami's segregated restaurants and hotels and is a Lifetime Member of the NAACP. Dr. Yaeger and his late wife, Ollie, raised four children. He is now the proud grandfather of two grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Carl Yaeger, Jr. for receiving this distinguished honor. He has given a lifetime of service to the medical community, and has had a tremendous impact on Miami and its people.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a doctor and educator, who works every day to expand the chiropractic profession. Dr. John Henry Porter, Jr., is a highly-regarded chiropractor in my home State of South Carolina, and he is being recognized by his peers on November 18, 2006 as a trailblazer. John Porter is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, where today he has a successful practice and teaches aspiring chiropractic students at his alma mater, Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic. As an Associate Professor of Clinic Sciences, Dr. Porter teaches Toggle Recoil and Full Spine. He has been with the college since 1979, and enjoys helping students enter the exciting and rewarding career of Chiropractics. While teaching students, Dr. Porter has also continued his education by taking courses in Chiropractic Radiographic Interpretation, Adjusting Methods, and Chiropractic Principals. He holds state licenses in both South Carolina and Tennessee. Dr. Porter attained his undergraduate degree from Claflin University and he studied Business and Data Processing at Spartanburg Technical College. He is married to the former Errie Bobo, and the couple has three adult children. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in thanking Dr. John Henry Porter, Jr., for his commitment to chiropractics and his desire to teach a new generation the skills needed to succeed in the profession. Dr. Porter is a tremendous advocate for chiropractors, and very deserving of his recognition as a Trailblazer by his peers.