Howard Coble

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, as a longtime member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am deeply concerned about the urgent need to protect Americans from rampant identity theft. During my six years as Chairman of the subcommittee that dealt with intellectual property matters, we often addressed issues affecting this criminal activity. Identity theft occurs when someone is able to use another person's identifying information, including their name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without that person's permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. It is even a threat to our national security. The Federal Trade Commission announced on February 26 that identity theft was the most reported complaint in 2008. The FTC estimates that as many as nine million Americans have their identities stolen each year. Our government has begun a review that puts the focus on protecting the nation's digital infrastructure against cyber-attacks. I commend the Obama Administration for recognizing this major problem and for beginning to take constructive steps to deal with it. If you are interested in learning more about this important matter, I urge you to read a column that was written by Michael J. Schultz for the Washington Times on February 20. ``President Barack Obama named Melissa Hathaway to lead a major review of this nation's cybersecurity. Her selection reflects the administration's desire to protect the government's information technology systems from security threats. ``The General Accounting Office characterized the government's computer system as a ``high risk'' area. This was underscored when the Federal Aviation Administration recently admitted its computer system was ``hacked'' and that the 48 files breached contained the names and Social Security numbers of more than 45,000 employees. ``While it is critical that the government's information networks be protected from terrorists and hackers alike, it is equally important that the administration's review also focus on ways to better protect every American's digital identities, especially when they use credit cards or the Internet. ``Digital identity misuse or theft leaves victims exposed to fraud that could lead to physical, emotional and financial harm. People from all walks of life have been victimized with those least able to absorb the punishment among the hardest hit. ``A recent survey by Jupiter Research concluded a total of 10 million Americans were victims of identity fraud in 2008, at an average cost of $496. Of these, 19 percent were defrauded while conducting online transactions. ``Millions of other Americans have suffered financial losses when their credit cards have been compromised. In addition, thousands of merchants have lost merchandise or funds when credit cards have been misused or stolen cards presented to make a purchase. Online merchants lost more than $10 billion in 2007 due to identity fraud. ``The misuse of prepaid cards presents yet another massive problem. Millions of stored value cards (gift cards, payroll cards, prepaid cards) have no Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. protection when they are stolen and thus thieves can spend them as easily as cash, depleting the true owner of their hard-earned savings. ``Most Americans do not realize that debit cards, which often carry the insignia of a credit card, do not offer the same protection as regular credit cards, and may only learn this when the cards are stolen. ``Unfortunately, the dangers go far beyond potential financial loses. A recently well-publicized case involved a 14-year-old girl who committed suicide when an adult pretended to be a boy on MySpace and then dumped her in a degrading way. ``Another example of the misuse of digital identities occurs when already overworked 911 call centers get ``swatted'' by prank callers able to imitate another number. These types of ``pranks'' severely limit first responders' ability to act in times of crisis, which places the entire community at risk when real emergencies require responses by fire or police departments. ``The upcoming review by the Obama administration should also address the sad truth that many of the so-called protections are inadequate to the dangers. For example, PINs or passwords often offer relatively little identity validation or protection. And most people have so many different passwords they frequently write them down and keep them with their cards, so when one is stolen the protection is often gone with it. ``Professional hackers can easily steal credit card information from individuals as well as from larger systems. More than 100 million credit card accounts were exposed when Heartland Payment Systems had its data centers breached in December 2008, enabling the thieves to subvert any current anti-fraud technology present. TJX Corp. had millions of credit card accounts exposed when they had their data centers breached. ``RBS WorldPay, one of the largest payment processors in the world, also had millions of accounts stolen when their data centers were breached. ``Clearly the old methods of automated protection are no longer adequate. Thus, we must implement systems that better validate digital identities to protect us as individuals and companies. ``Just as the government was wrong in allowing loose self- regulation of the financial, automotive and mortgage industries, it also has been far too lax in ensuring protection for consumers and companies that use payments cards of any type on the Internet. ``As a direct result of these conditions, we have seen a precipitous increase in reported credit card and Internet fraud. All users are at risk, but it is our children who are most vulnerable. ``The upcoming review of cybersecurity has the immediate responsibility to provide broadly defined protection. In addition to improving how to better protect our infrastructure from potential homeland security breaches from those with ill intent toward the United States, the administration should address how to use validated digital identities to prevent the abuses that have caused significant harm to individuals and businesses.''

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I am requesting as part of H.R. 3288, the Transportation/Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2010. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: Airport Investment Program Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Burlington--Alamance County Regional Airport Address of Requesting Entity: 3441 North Aviation Drive, Burlington, NC 27215 Description of Request: This project will lengthen the existing runway so that it may support larger aircraft and improve the safety of the runway. It will also increase the airport's economic viability in the area. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: Grade Crossings on Designated High Speed Rail Corridors Legal Name of Requesting Entity: North Carolina Department of Transportation Address of Requesting Entity: 1553 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 Description of Request: The purpose of this project is to implement the crossing safety improvement recommendations from the East Guilford County Traffic Separation Study (TSS) between Franklin Boulevard and Wagner Bend Road on the North Carolina Railroad, Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor and Greensboro. This project is part of the NC Department of Transportation's effort to reduce the occurrence of accidents at railroad crossings.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks that I am requesting as part of the FY 2010 Labor/ Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: FY 2010 Labor/Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill Account: Elementary & Secondary Education (includes FIE) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of North Carolina at Greensboro Address of Requesting Entity: 1601 MHRA Building, 1111 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC 27412 Description of Request: The purpose of this project is to develop a reform-based, problem-solving mathematics enrichment program for use in after-school settings with elementary school-aged children. Further, this project will help provide students with invaluable tools to enrich their educational experience. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: FY 2010 Labor/Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: High Point, N.C. Mental Health Association Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 5693, High Point, NC 27262 Description of Request: This funding will expand capabilities at one of only two facilities in the High Point area providing services to the mentally ill. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: FY 2010 Labor/Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: St. Joseph's of the Pines Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Gossman Drive, Suite B, Southern Pines, NC 28387 Description of Request: This project will convert a semi-truck into a mobile source of health resources with the main goal of providing health services access to those who live in rural areas of Moore County.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, during his prime time press conference last night, President Obama spoke in vague generalities about his care proposal in claiming the plan is deficit neutral. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office disagrees, the CBO, found that the legislation would increase the deficit by $239 billion over a 10-year period. The CBO director recently said the administration's plan significantly expands the Federal responsibility for health care costs, but you wouldn't know this from having watched last evening's press conference. Not one reporter questioned the President about the CBO's findings. Instead the media, once again, gave the President a free pass and deprived Americans of all the facts surrounding health care.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, this afternoon I had to miss rollcall votes on account of a dinner that I was attending in honor of a longtime friend, Dr. Norm Mayer. Dr. Mayer is the former Emergency Room Director for the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is unfortunately battling Lou Gehrig's disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), and tonight's dinner is in honor of Dr. Mayer and his relentless battle against this debilitating disease. In addition, the dinner will also raise funds to help others in the Greensboro area, who are also battling against Lou Gehrig's disease.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996, the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 2996 Account: Land and Water Conservation Fund Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Uwharrie Trail, Randolph County, North Carolina. Address of Requesting Entity: U.S. Forest Service, 160 Zillicoa Street, Suite A, Asheville, NC 28801 Description of Request: The bill provides $500,000 for land acquisition to complete the second portion of the Uwharrie Trail in Randolph County, NC. The Uwharrie National Forest is located in the Piedmont area of central North Carolina. It is located in a rural but developing area 40 miles from Charlotte (more than 1.3 million in population), and almost as near to the Research Triangle cities of Greenville/Raleigh and Durham, NC. At 50,189 acres, the Uwharrie is the smallest National Forest with the most fragmented ownership in North Carolina, owning only 23% of lands within the forest boundary. Land acquisition offers the best opportunity to consolidate this scattered ownership pattern and will also improve plant and wildlife habitat, reduce the threat to endangered species, increase recreation opportunities, and improve water quality in the Uwharrie River watershed. The Uwharrie National Recreation Trail currently runs north from a trailhead on Highway 24/27 near Wood Run Hunt Camp in Montgomery County through lands along the north portion of the Uwharrie National Forest in Randolph County. The current trail is 20.4 miles in length and provides views of the surrounding countryside containing a mixture of oak, hickory, maple and conifer tree communities.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I am requesting as part of H.R. 2892, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2010. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 2892 Account: FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Kannapolis, North Carolina Address of Requesting Entity: 614 8th Street, Kannapolis, NC 28081 Description of Request: Bill provides $425,000 for the 8th Street culvert replacement project in Kannapolis, NC. The existing 8th Street culvert is a 65-foot-long, four-inch by eight-inch box that was constructed using granite blocks mortared into place. As a result of Tropical Storm Fay, large cracks in the wall and floor of the culvert have allowed water to enter the area behind it and erode the fill material around it. This situation has caused a slope failure on the downstream side of 8th Street. In addition, a number of blocks used to form the top of the culvert have broken into two pieces, limiting structural support for the roadway above. The 8th Street culvert connector road from Main Street to West A Street is utilized by a number of citizens and the nearby Woodrow Wilson Elementary School as a primary transportation route. The roadway has been closed since early December 2008 due to the culvert's deteriorating condition.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I am requesting as part of H.R. 2847, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Department of Justice Byrne Discretionary Grants account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: New Man Community Development Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: New Man Development Community Corporation, P.O. Box 98, Rehrersburg, PA 19550. Funds will then be distributed to each partner center, including Sandhills Teen Challenge, P.O. Box 1701, Southern Pines, NC 28388 Description of Request: $25,000 is provided for the New Man Community Development Corporation, a community-based, private, non-profit corporation, partnered with Teen Challenge Training Center to provide vocational training to individuals seeking addiction treatment at one of 10 residential addiction treatment programs, one located in my district in Carthage, North Carolina. The Employment Preparation Project will provide year-round, pre-employment preparation training five days per week for four weeks to individuals in the last month of a four-month addiction recovery program. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Kannapolis, North Carolina Address of Requesting Entity: 932 Floyd Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083 Description of Request: $575,000 is provided for this project, called the Kannapolis Regional Radio Upgrade, to maintain emergency service interoperability with the surrounding region through the conversion of the emergency communication system from analog to digital. Moreover, funds would be used to upgrade the regional radio system with a fully digital network which operates in a frequency range compatible with other state and federal law enforcement agencies. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Department of Commerce International Trade Administration account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation [TC]2 Address of Requesting Entity: 5651 Dillard Drive, Cary, NC 27518 Description of Request: $965,000 is provided for [TC] \2\, a consortium of fiber, fabric and apparel producers, organized labor groups, retailers, academic institutions and government agencies focused mainly on improving textile and apparel production techniques. This is an on-going project of research, discovery and dissemination of appropriate technologies for use in the apparel, sewn products, and soft goods industry. [TC] \2\ provides seminars, short courses, consulting, and demonstrations to industry leaders. It also provides leadership and visions for an industry that has sustained serious job losses in the past decade. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Department of Commerce International Trade Administration account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Textile Center Address of Requesting Entity: Campus Box 7214, Administrative Services III, Raleigh, NC 27695-7214 Description of Request: $1,800,000 is provided for the National Textile Center (NTC), a research consortium that serves the USA Fiber/ Textile/Fiber Products/Retail Complex. NTC was established to achieve three primary goals: (1) Research: To discover, design and develop new materials, innovative and improved manufacturing, and integrated systems essential to the success of a modern U.S. textile enterprise; (2) Education: To train personnel, establish industrial partnerships and create transfer mechanisms to ensure the utilization of technologies developed; (3) Partnership: To strengthen the nation's textile research and educational efforts by uniting diverse experts and resources in unique collaborative projects.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, yesterday my flight was delayed and I missed the four suspension votes. On rollcall No. 336--H. Res. 430--Expressing condolences to the citizens of Italy and support for the Government of Italy in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the Abruzzo region of central Italy, I would have voted ``Aye.'' On rollcall No. 337--H.R. 2325--To designate the ``Laredo Veterans'' Post Office in Laredo, Texas, I would have voted ``Aye.'' On rollcall No. 338--H.R. 729--Phylicia's Law, I would have voted ``No.'' On rollcall No. 339--H.Res. 540--Expressing condolences to families affected by ConAgra Foods Plant Explosion in Gamer, North Carolina, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, a softball team at a high school in our congressional district proved this year that even when you lose your key player for a large part of the season, when the whole team pulls together, greatness can still be achieved. Despite losing 2008 News & Record All-Area Player of the Year Chelsea Leonard to a knee injury on November 25, 2008, the Central Davidson High School softball team came together and finished its 21-7 season with a championship title. ``We've been through some tough times this year,'' Coach Gene Poindexter told The Dispatch. ``Got knocked down a couple times. Got black eyes a couple of times. We just kept fighting, and we worked hard to get back in the playoffs; I can't say enough about all these freshmen, sophomores and juniors. They're a great bunch of kids who worked their tails off.'' On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we wish to congratulate the Spartans for winning their third consecutive 2A state softball championship. The Spartans defeated Richlands by a score of 1-0 on Saturday, June 6, 2009. Freshman extraordinaire Carley Tysinger ripped a 1-0 pitch into left for a single to drive in the biggest run of the season and the only run of the title game. And that one-run lead was all that was needed with senior Chelsea Leonard on the mound. Leonard returned in time for the postseason and was named tournament MVP. Leonard threw a one-hitter with 19 strikeouts against Richlands in the title game. The championship season was a team effort led by seniors Kelsey Rountree and Chelsea Leonard, juniors Haley Hanes, Laura Fritts, Haley Thore, Nicole Perry, and Mindi Morris, sophomores Kara Lohr, Whitney Lohr, Jazmine Charles, Emma Comer, and Megan Yountz, and freshmen Charity McGath, Carley Tysinger, Allie Stovall, and Lauren Bryant. Also assisting the team during this season were assistant coaches Jim Welborn, Bryan Starnes, Greg Leonard, Sterling Charles, Mike Pickett, Jordan Stogner, Jodi Duncan, the voice of the Spartans, announcer Stuart Joontz, scorekeeper Mitzi Tysinger and last but not least, manager Xavier ``Sabby'' Rosales. Again, on behalf of the Sixth District, we would like to congratulate Principal Emily Lipe, Athletic Director and Head Coach Gene Poindexter, and everyone affiliated with the Spartans. Congratulations to Central Davidson on a spectacular season and for winning its third consecutive 2A state softball championship.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, perfection is difficult to achieve in life--and perhaps even more so in sports--so it is noteworthy when any team comes so close to that achievement. A high school softball team in our congressional district came within one win of a perfect season. Even with that one loss, the team captured a state championship. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we wish to congratulate the softball team of Southwestern Randolph High School for winning the North Carolina 3A state championship. This is the second 3A title in three years the Cougars have won. The team was led by Head Coach Steve Taylor who was able to bring the team together and make them believe they were capable of anything. As a result, the Cougars finished the season with an impressive 30-1 record that was capped with a 5-2 win over Asheville T.C. Roberson High School on June 6, 2009. The championship season was a team effort led by seniors Anna Maness, Holly Berry, and Brittany Jones, juniors Erin Billups, Olivia Hickman, Cheryl Coley, and Hanna Hughes, sophomores Cynthia Hayes, Julia Callicutt, Sydney Hyden, Kelsey Hoover, Victoria Hunt, and Sloan King, and freshmen Dee Chriscoe, Paige Parrish, Brooke Hayes, Kaylee King, and Hayleigh Clapp. Also assisting the team during this outstanding 30-1 season were assistant coaches Bobby Berry, Robert Hayes, Wendal Seawell, and Angela Hoover. Again, on behalf of the Sixth District, we would like to congratulate Principal Dr. Chris Vecchione, Athletic Director Randy Key, Head Coach Steve Taylor, and all who contributed to this outstanding season. Congratulations to Southwestern Randolph High School on a spectacular season and for winning the North Carolina 3A state championship.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for the time. She and I share opposition to this proposal. I rise in continued opposition, Mr. Speaker, to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. During my tenure in the Congress, I have consistently opposed granting the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco. I do so based upon my philosophical beliefs and the ramifications this legislation would have upon my congressional district and my State. It is my firm belief, Mr. Speaker, that allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco in any capacity would inevitably lead to FDA regulating the family farm. Of course, that is the potential. This could create uncertainty for family farmers at a time when they are already struggling during the current economic downturn. I have spoken to tobacco farmers in my district, Mr. Speaker, and if this matter is enacted, they see the door ajar, and their fear is tobacco today, the family farm tomorrow. I don't think this is a knee- jerk reaction. I think it is realistic. I also have concerns, Mr. Speaker, regarding the negative impact the measure would have upon tobacco manufacturers and their employees, retailers, and wholesalers. Previously this Congress has voted to implement a 62-cent tobacco tax increase to fund children's health insurance. Today we consider legislation that will create further hardship for the tobacco industry and consumers who use tobacco products. I have said this countless times before, Mr. Speaker, but I will reiterate it today: we are talking about a product that is lawfully grown, lawfully manufactured, lawfully marketed, lawfully advertised and lawfully consumed. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1256 remains a misguided piece of legislation. It does not achieve the goals identified by the proponent of regulating tobacco content, marketing and advertising. Indeed, it will further exacerbate an already-stretched FDA, negatively impact manufacturers and farmers and create a strain on Federal revenues to the national Treasury. In my State and in my district and in the district of the distinguished lady from North Carolina, H.R. 1256 will result in job losses to the beleaguered tobacco manufacturing and farming interests, and it will compromise an already overburdened FDA. I cannot in good conscience support this measure. I again thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. I rise in support of the House Resolution 505, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I support House Resolution 505 which deplores the murder of Dr. George Tiller who was shot to death at his church, as has already been mentioned, on May 31. I join with the National Right to Life Committee, the Nation's largest pro-life group, in condemning the killing of Dr. Tiller. As that organization correctly said, Anyone who works to increase respect for human life must oppose any unlawful use of violence that is directly contrary to that goal. Because I believe everyone who is the victim of unlawful violence should be treated equally under the law, I voted against the so-called hate crimes bill when it was brought up on the House floor earlier this year. The resolution we are now debating and another we will debate today recognize what should be obvious to all, which is that anyone can be the victim of hate-inspired crimes and that the perpetrators of those crimes should be equally condemned and punished. I urge, Mr. Speaker, all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, yesterday my flight was cancelled due to weather and I missed the three suspension votes. On rollcall No. 292--H. Res. 421--Recognizing and commending the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on its 75th year anniversary, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 293--H.J. Res. 40--Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 294--H. Res. 489--Recognizing the 20th anniversary of the brutal suppression of protesters and citizens in and around Tiananmen Square, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I take this occasion to honor Rear Admiral Joel Whitehead of the United States Coast Guard for his service to the United States Congress and for his 38 years of service to our country. Admiral Whitehead presently serves as the Commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District in New Orleans where he is responsible for Coast Guard operations in 26 states, over 1,200 miles of Gulf of Mexico coastline and 10,300 miles of inland waterways including the entire lengths of the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee River systems. As commander of the largest Coast Guard District, Admiral Whitehead leads over 9,000 active duty, reservists, civilian members and Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers. From 2003 to 2005, then Captain Whitehead served as Chief of Congressional Affairs and as Acting Assistant Commandant for Governmental and Public Affairs. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work closely with him during this time. My staff and I have often relied on Admiral Whitehead's knowledge and understanding of the missions, challenges and responsibilities of the United States Coast Guard to help me in my leadership roles on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee and in numerous other venues where his great depth of experience was invaluable. Admiral Whitehead comes from a distinguished military family that has served this nation since before the American Revolution. His oldest known ancestor, Isaac Whitehead, served in the militia of the New Haven Colony in Connecticut as early as 1643. The Whitehead family moved westward in 1666 to become founders of the Elizabethtown, New Jersey Colony and again to Morristown, New Jersey where Onesimus Whitehead was a member of the New Jersey militia when George Washington encamped in Morristown the winter of 1779-80 and endured a winter as severe as that at Valley Forge where thousands died. His family having been awarded land for their service in the Revolutionary War, Isaac Whitehead IV moved to the Finger Lakes of New York about 1700 where the Whitehead family remained until they again traveled westward in 1826 after the opening of the Erie Canal. The Whitehead family remained in Ohio until the outbreak of World War II when Admiral Whitehead's father James entered the Army and served over 20 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1968 Admiral Whitehead's brother Scott also answered the call to serve his Nation, joining the United States Marine Corps while in college and recently retiring as a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. Admiral Whitehead has served at sea and ashore in a variety of operational and policy tours during his career. A native of Newport News, Virginia, he graduated from Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia. He began his military career at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut in 1971, where he was elected Class President and served as a Regimental Commander in the year of his graduation in 1975. Ensign Whitehead first trained new Cadets of the Class of 1979 as a Summer Ensign at the Coast Guard Academy. He then went to Governor's Island, New York, to serving two years aboard the cutter MORGENTHAU as Anti-Submarine Officer, Weapons Officer and Deck Watch Officer. He later served as Executive Officer of Marine Safety Office, Albany, New York. There, for the first, but not last time in his career, he led the Coast Guard's response to an environmental crisis when he was second in command during the first ``Superfund'' cleanup in the nation's history. After earning a Master's Degree in Public Administration at the State University of New York at Albany, Lieutenant Commander Whitehead and his family accepted their first tour in Washington, D.C., where they spent some 12 years during his career. There, he helped negotiate the worldwide implementation of international MARPOL Treaty at the International Maritime Organization in London and subsequently wrote the U.S. federal regulations to enforce them in the United States. When the EXXON VALDEZ disaster occurred in 1989, Lieutenant Commander Whitehead was assigned for two weeks to assist the Admiral in charge of the cleanup. He ultimately stayed for almost a year as an adviser to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator and later wrote the federal report detailing the government's response and recommendations that came from the lessons learned from this historic event. Following the EXXON VALDEZ response in Alaska, Lieutenant Commander Whitehead returned to Washington, D.C., to assist in implementing the newly passed Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and later served as a Program Reviewer for the Coast Guard's budget where he was responsible for program oversight and development for almost one-third of the Coast Guard's operating budget. He also led the Coast Guard's efforts with the new presidential administration's transition team in 1992. Again in the field from 1993 to 1996, Commander Whitehead was assigned as Deputy Group Commander of Group Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where his group responded to more than 4,000 law enforcement boardings and 5,400 search and rescue cases resulting in over 450 lives saved. In 1996, Commander Whitehead was selected to study for a year with 17 select military officers as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. From that elite educational experience he again found himself in Washington working for the Commandant of the Coast Guard as the Chief of Strategic Planning for the U.S. Coast Guard. There his team developed the Coast Guard's strategic vision, Coast Guard 2020 and pioneered a scenario-based planning process to develop long-range strategies to plot the Coast Guard's future. It was not long afterward that Captain Whitehead was in command in Boston as Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Office Boston. There he managed the explosive growth of Liquefied Natural Gas transits through the port, Sail Boston 2000 and led the federal response to the largest oil spill in Boston's history: the 2000 Tank Vessel POSAVINA spill, which put over 59,000 gallons of fuel oil in the harbor. Under his leadership the Coast Guard collected an unprecedented 89% of the oil from that near-pristine waterway that had just undergone a $4 billion, 10-year water quality improvement project. In 2001, Captain Whitehead was transferred early to begin his close association with the Gulf of Mexico when he was selected as Chief of Staff of the Eighth Coast Guard District. There he managed the day-to- day operations of a 200 person staff and 9,000 Coast Guard men and women located at sub-units throughout the heartland of America and the Gulf of Mexico. He was there only a few months when the attacks of 9/11 occurred and, as acting District Commander, he personally led the federal maritime homeland security response on the inland waterways, Gulf of Mexico ports and offshore oil and gas fields. Recalling over 800 Reservists to protect the Nation's busiest ports and the energy gateway to America, he reorganized the District staff to include the first Homeland Security staff element in the Coast Guard. Returning to Washington in 2003, Captain Whitehead assumed the reigns of the Coast Guard's relations with Capitol Hill as the Chief of Congressional Affairs. There he managed some 25 young Coast Guard men and women at DOT Headquarters, in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and organized over 100 Congressional and staff delegation visits to the field. It was there I met Captain Whitehead as he worked the many policy and budget issues including the growing Deepwater acquisition project, homeland security and port security issues. While Chief of Congressional Affairs, he was promoted to Rear Admiral in 2004 and officially became the Assistant Commandant for Governmental and Public Affairs. As the heartrending events of Hurricanes KATRINA and RITA unfolded in 2005, Admiral Whitehead ably represented the Coast Guard in Washington as a national spokesman alongside the Secretary of Homeland Security and provided numerous briefings to Members of Congress and Congressional committee staffs. In addition, he orchestrated an extraordinary and expansive media effort documenting the Coast Guard's historic response to that natural tragedy. In 2006, Admiral Whitehead volunteered to return to New Orleans, this time to lead the Eighth Coast Guard District. Faced with the rebuilding of many Coast Guard facilities destroyed or damaged during the hurricanes, he prepared the staff for more hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as the ubiquitous flooding from the inland river system. During his tenure, the Coast Guard responded flawlessly to over 8,100 search and rescue cases. Then in 2008, during the fifth most active weather year since 1944, Admiral Whitehead led his Eighth District team through Tropical Storms EDOUARD, FAY and HANNAH, as well as Hurricanes DOLLY, GUSTAV and IKE in which 220 people were saved. In the largest oil spill in many years in New Orleans when the motor vessel TINTOMARA and the tug MEL OLIVER collided on the Mississippi river, Sector New Orleans and the Eighth District responded immediately and effectively, partially opening the port to traffic within days and fully opening it within two weeks to prevent a multi-billion dollar economic loss. The Midwest floods of Iowa and Missouri in 2008 also set records, only to be surpassed in 2009 by the flooding of the Red River of the North in which the Coast Guard rescued by helicopter and small boats over 105 people. Admiral Whitehead has earned numerous military decorations during his years of active duty, including the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Coast Guard Commendation medal, the 9/11 medal, as well as numerous unit commendations and team awards. He has also received a number of other honors, including being named the Distinguished Alumnus in Public Administration & Policy for 2007 at the State University of New York at Albany. He is also an Honorary Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, a recognition which the Admiral is most proud of. Over the years, Admiral Whitehead has also been able to serve his alma maters as a Director of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association and from 1999-2003 as a member and Chairman of the Alumni Executive Council at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, which represents more than 20,000 alumni in 120 nations. This week, Admiral Whitehead will leave his post in New Orleans and retire after 38 years of honorable service to the Coast Guard and the Nation. He will be missed as a military congressional affairs alumnus in the United States House of Representatives and Senate. It has been my pleasure to work with Admiral Whitehead over the years. On behalf of all who have also been able to work with him, we wish Admiral Whitehead, his wife Martha, whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for many years, and his two wonderful daughters Christine, a medical student at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia and Katherine, a fine art photography major who will graduate this year from the Corcoran College of Art and Design here in Washington, the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently approved Taiwan's request to participate in the 62nd annual World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva later this month. Taiwan is a longtime ally of the United States, and we applaud the WHO's decision to include Taiwan in the WHA. While the threat of a pandemic outbreak pales the countless other world health concerns, preparing, planning and responding to an outbreak requires the participation of every country. Asia is an area of great concern because of its large concentration of people, history of viral outbreaks and the inexplicable refusal of some countries not to comply with pleas for cooperation by international health experts. This refusal is a threat to the world's safety and cannot be ignored. For its part, Taiwan has done an excellent job assisting and preparing for a future health emergency. Its medical system has been described as ``robust, solidly established and well resourced'' and it participates in disease prevention efforts in other countries throughout the world. Now that Taiwan has a role at the WHA, it can partner with world health leaders to generate support from some of the recalcitrant countries that have ignored the WHA in the past. Taiwan's ascension into the WHA is well deserved and should be recognized by the United States. Having a cohesive and efficient international health monitoring and response system is in everyone's interest. Ultimately, the American people, who are deeply invested in the international health community, will benefit from Taiwan's success.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay final tribute to one of North Carolina's native sons and a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. A beloved son, husband and father, Commander Keith Alan Willis, U.S. Coast Guard, passed suddenly while serving as Commanding Officer in Coast Guard Cutter TAHOMA (WMEC 908) since May 2007. He most recently served as the Coast Guard Liaison as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet after having served as Assistant Coast Guard Liaison at U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Joint Forces Command from August 2004 through August 2006. Commander Willis was a 1989 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, with a Bachelor of Science in Government. In 2000, he completed a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Troy State University, and in 2004, he completed a Master's Degree in National Security Policy from the U.S. Naval War College. Commander Willis' prior assignments included enlisted service from 1983 to 1985, during which time he was stationed on USCGC DAUNTLESS and at the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) program in San Diego, California. After BOOST, Commander Willis reported to the Coast Guard Academy. Following graduation in 1989, he reported to USCGC HARRIET LANE in Portsmouth, Virginia, where he served as a Deck Watch Officer, Combat Information Center Officer, Weapons Officer, and Assistant Navigator. Upon departure from USCGC HARRIET LANE in 1992, Commander Willis reported to Law Enforcement Detachment 8-G in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he served as Officer in Charge, and made deployments on a variety of U.S. Navy ships, and a deployment to the Middle East to assist in enforcement of the U.N. Sanctions against Iraq. Commander Willis reported to USCGC BEAR in Portsmouth, Virginia, as the Operations Officer from 1994 to 1997. In August 1997, he reported to the Coast Guard's Atlantic Area command staff, where he served until July 2001 as a member of the International Operations branch. In that capacity, Commander Willis helped direct and execute the Tradewinds series of exercises in the Caribbean, which included participation by fourteen Caribbean nations. Commander Willis then reported to USCGC DAUNTLESS in Galveston, Texas, as Executive Officer in August 2001, after which CDR Willis reported to the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, graduating in May 2004. Following graduation, Commander Willis then reported as Assistant Coast Guard Liaison to Fleet Forces Command and Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia, and served in that billet until assignment in August 2006 to the newly established position of Coast Guard Liaison to Commander Second Fleet. Commander Keith Willis, born in Frisco, North Carolina, is remembered for his Christian faith, devotion to his family and dedicated service to the United States Coast Guard. May God rest his soul and provide comfort to his family.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, Michelle Obama is enjoying immense popularity throughout America. She has been described as a ``breath of fresh air'' and the ``First Lady we have been waiting for.'' A Democrat constituent spoke to me several days ago expressing approval of the First Lady's high marks, but she furthermore expressed concern that we do not forget Mrs. Obama's immediate predecessor, Mrs. Laura Bush. I am in agreement with my constituent in that I am pleased for Mrs. Obama, but I don't want her high marks to diminish the high marks Laura Bush recorded. Madam Speaker, there is no blueprint for successfully filling the office of First Lady. Members of Congress have elections and constituents to provide constructive criticism along the way. The First Lady has no such benefit, and as a result, she must master the art of on-the-job training with the world's microscope on her every move. Mrs. Laura Bush perfected this art as well as any other First Lady in our history. Not only is her list of accomplishments long and meaningful, but they were achieved with little fanfare during a tumultuous period in our history. She is responsible, Madam Speaker, for spearheading the effort to bring the National Book Festival to the National Mall. She led the charge to bolster Teach for America, which helped increase the number of teachers being produced by this program every year. All of these teachers will teach in impoverished urban and rural schools. She helped stave an impending crisis in our libraries, which were facing a 40 percent rate of attrition. Furthermore, much of her time overseas was spent sharing information on HIV/AIDS and malaria awareness and the needs of women. Madam Speaker, Mrs. Bush has sought no praise or public attention. This is exactly why her accomplishments should be recognized--and perhaps even memorialized to some extent so that future First Ladies can learn from her legacy. When Mrs. Bush was asked whether she would assume a role by a previous First Lady, she replied that she would define her role as First Lady for herself. Mrs. Bush's demeanor portrays her as quiet and unassuming. Oftentimes, Madam Speaker, people--male and female--who maintain quiet, unassuming roles are not seriously embraced. Oftentimes, they are cut adrift or cast aside; not true with Laura Bush. We wish Mrs. Obama well as she commences her role as our First Lady, while at the same time I want us to favorably recall the 8 years Laura Bush served as our First Lady.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, eight people died 1 month ago when a gunman opened fire at the Pine Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carthage, North Carolina. On that dreadful day, the staff and residents at Pine Lake Center responded very effectively and professionally. Equally professional and effective were the law enforcement community and the citizens of Carthage and Moore County. This cruel and unforgivable act imposed upon Pine Lake that day did not succeed in defeating the spirit of the Pine Lake facility, Carthage and Moore County. Mr. Speaker, we extend our condolences to the survivors of the eight whose lives were so brutally taken on that ill-fated day.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brigadier General (BG) Gill P. Beck, who has been selected by Appalachian State University's (ASU) Alumni Association to be the sole recipient of its 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award in a ceremony to be held this Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the Broyhill Inn in Boone, North Carolina. General Beck was selected for this honor due to his remarkable record of leadership and service to the public in both his professional and military careers, and for his many contributions to civic and charitable causes in his community. A third-generation Mountaineer and third-generation North Carolina attorney, Gill Beck attended Appalachian State from 1974 to 1978 on a football and academic scholarship. Describing himself as ``the slowest quarterback in the state'' in high school, he showed his ``coachability'' by switching positions and playing center in college. Three years later, he was named team captain and distinguished himself as the team's best blocker. A three time All-Southern Conference first- team selection, he was selected as ASU's athlete of the year during his senior year. While at ASU, he distinguished himself academically as well, making the Chancellor's List all eight semesters, twice being named an Academic All-American, graduating second in his class with a 3.98 grade-point average and earning an Army ROTC scholarship to study law at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. After graduating with High Honors from law school, he entered the Army JAG Corps, where he spent the next six years on active duty and represented the Army in a wide variety of litigation matters. A resident of Greensboro, Beck has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of North Carolina since 1992. He currently serves as the Chief of the Civil Division, United States Attorney's Office, where he is responsible for directing all civil litigation against or for the United States within the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, as well as prosecuting criminal forfeitures that involve drug or money laundering offenses. As a federal prosecutor, he has spearheaded a number of high- profile civil actions, including several that involve the fight against fraud and whose resolution protected the rights and interests of taxpayers. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Justice presented Gill Beck with its highest award, the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award, for his initiative and success in one such action that recovered more than $180 million for taxpayers. Since completing his initial active duty tour in the Army, Gill Beck has continued his military service as an Officer and Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve. In a promotion ceremony at Fort Myer, Virginia, in December 2008 that was presided over by the Judge Advocate General of the Army, Lieutenant General Scott C. Black, Beck ``pinned on'' the rank of Brigadier General after being nominated by President Bush and being confirmed by the United States Senate. In an investiture ceremony that day, BG Beck was also installed as the Chief Judge, U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals (IMA), U.S. Army Legal Services Agency (USALSA). BG Beck's previous military assignments include Commander, 12th Legal Support Organization, Staff Judge Advocate Task Force 134 (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Staff Judge Advocate, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, and Brigade Judge Advocate, 108th Division (Institutional Training), and a total of thirteen years on active duty with tours in the 1st Infantry Division, 3d Armored Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and Litigation Division (USALSA). Madam Speaker, during his 2005 tour of duty in Iraq, then-Colonel Beck and his family provided an illustration of just how important the initiative and contributions of individual members of our armed forces and their military spouses ``back home'' are to the success of our military operations and humanitarian endeavors abroad. What began as a simple personal request to his wife, Mary Jo, to send toys, trinkets and candy to present to the Iraqi children turned quickly into a community-wide effort. ``Operation Toy Drive,'' which was coordinated by Mary Jo and her friend, Hillary Bouknight, resulted in the collection of tens of thousands of items that were transported by a U.S. based charity, Operation Give, and shipped by FedEx (without charge I might add) to the U.S. military for distribution by our U.S. service men and women to the children of Iraq. Indeed, not only did Mary Jo orchestrate the effort but the entire Beck family, including his sons, Gill Jr. and Jon, got into the act. In addition to collecting toys from others, Jon even donated a bear he had received for his birthday. Before concluding my remarks, I'd also like to make mention of BG Beck's outstanding commitment to his profession and voluntary service with the N.C. Bar Association (NCBA). He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the NCBA, past Chair of the NCBA's Government and Public Sector Section, and while deployed to Iraq in 2005, was selected to receive the association's Government and Public Sector's Distinguished Attorney Award as North Carolina's top government and public sector attorney. In describing why he was chosen for the award, Linda Miles, the city attorney of Greensboro stated, ``Gill Beck embodies all of the virtues of a public servant. He is a person of integrity, honesty and loyalty in his service to his country in every way.'' Madam Speaker, in closing, I would just note that BG Beck and his family are among those who represent the best of America. His dedication to duty, reputation for integrity, and commitment to improving the well-being of others, whether in his hometown and state or more than half a world removed, are exemplary. I am happy to convey my personal best wishes to General Beck and his family and ask that you and our colleagues in the House join me in recognizing BG Beck not only on the occasion of his fitting selection as Appalachian State University's Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for 2009, but also for his lifetime of service and commitment to others. -

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. During my tenure in the Congress, I have consistently opposed granting the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco. I do so based upon my philosophical beliefs and the ramifications that this legislation would impose upon my congressional district and my State. It is my belief that allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco in any capacity would inevitably lead to FDA regulating the family farm. This creates uncertainty and adds another burden to the already overwhelmed FDA. I, furthermore, have concerns with the negative impact H.R. 1256 would have upon tobacco manufacturers, their employees, retailers, and wholesalers. It is ironic, Mr. Speaker, that the very day a 62 cent tobacco tax goes into effect to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program that we would debate legislation to create further hardship for the tobacco industry. H.R. 1256 is misguided, in my opinion. It does not achieve the goals identified by proponents. Instead, it will further exacerbate an already stretched FDA, negatively impact manufacturers and farmers, and create a strain on Federal revenues to the Treasury. I do not come to the House floor tonight without solutions, Mr. Speaker. The bipartisan Youth Prevention and Tobacco Harm Reduction Act provides a different alternative, offering harm reduction strategies through the Department of Health and Human Services. I encourage its consideration and oppose H.R. 1256. Finally, Mr. Speaker, tobacco is a product that is lawfully grown, lawfully marketed, lawfully manufactured, and lawfully consumed. We do not need the FDA inserting its oars into these waters. I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Burlington-Alamance County Regional Airport Address of Requesting Entity: 3441 North Aviation Drive, Burlington, North Carolina 27215 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $855,000 for lengthening the existing runway to 6,400 feet. Specifically, funds will be used for site preparation, along with paving and airfield strengthening of a 1,500-foot runway extension to 6,400 feet. The airport is located in the heart of North Carolina's premier area of growth and development along the Interstate 40/Interstate 85 corridor between Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and Greensboro-High Point-Winston- Salem. While completion of significant airport enhancement projects such as the installment of a High Intensity Runway Lighting System and the strengthening of the existing runway to support 120,000-pound aircraft have been successful in increasing corporate air traffic, safe operations of these aircraft are marginal on the airport's existing 5,000-foot runway. This project received $1,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2004 and $980,000 in Fiscal Year 2008. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Highway Administration Transportation and Community Systems Preservation account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: North Carolina Department of Transportation Address of Requesting Entity: North Carolina Department of Transportation, 1542 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $427,500 for the widening of SR 1306 and SR 1363 (Mebane Street) from SR 1158 to NC 54 in Burlington, North Carolina. Specifically, this project, TIP number U-3303, proposes to widen to multi-lanes SR 1306 and SR 1363 (Mebane Street) from SR 1158 (Huffman Mill Road) to NC 54 (Chapel Hill Road) in Burlington, NC. The length of the project is 2.4 miles. Right-of-way acquisition is currently underway and construction is set to begin in Fiscal Year 2009. This project has received no prior federal appropriations. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Railroad Administration Grade Crossings on Designated High Speed Rail Corridors account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: North Carolina Department of Transportation Address of Requesting Entity: North Carolina Department of Transportation, 1542 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,280,000 for the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor Initiative from Greensboro to Charlotte. The project is located on the rail corridor between Greensboro and Charlotte. Specifically, funding will be used to restore three double track sections, adding capacity, improving freight and passenger service reliability and bi-directional operation. North Carolina has invested significant funds to renovate or replace all passenger stations, improve grade crossing safety, and reduce travel time by approximately one hour to be automobile-competitive. The corridor supports some 60 freight and 6 passenger trains daily. The project will be developed and implemented with the communities, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the North Carolina Railroad Company. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Highway Administration Transportation and Community Systems Preservation account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of High Point, North Carolina Address of Requesting Entity: 211 South Hamilton Street, High Point, North Carolina 27261 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $95,000 for the High Point Greenway Project. The project encompasses a 3.8 mile greenway is located in High Point, North Carolina and funding will be used for completing the remaining 1.1 miles to create walking, jogging, bicycling and other recreational activities. The City of High Point is contributing $1.3 million to this project, and needs federal assistance to complete the project. This project meets all of the requirements of FHWA's Transportation, Community, and System Preservation program from which federal funds are being sought. This area is rapidly urbanizing and opportunities to preserve and develop recreational resources in the future will be limited. The High Point Greenway provides high quality healthy living resources to the citizens of High Point and Guilford County, as well as to tourists from across the world who visit the City. Some of those tourists include people who visit High Point for the International Furniture Market, which is the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, and is the largest biannual event in the state to which an average 140,000 people from more than 100 countries attend. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Transit Administration Bus and Bus Facilities account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Greensboro, North Carolina Address of Requesting Entity: Greensboro Transit Administration, 320 East Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, North Carolina 27401 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,140,000 for the Greensboro Maintenance/Operations/Administration Transit Facility, Land Acquisition, Design and Construction. This project, NC TIP number TD- 4915, would replace the existing facility that is too small and outdated to handle Greensboro's growing fleet and operations. The facility will enhance the Greensboro Transit Authority's service delivery efficiency and the quality of transit services. No previous funds have been appropriated for this project. Dollars will be used for land acquisition, design and construction. Rep. Mel Watt is the lead on this request. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: North Carolina State Highway Patrol Address of Requesting Entity: 4702 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $350,000 for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) Communications Enhancement project. Specifically, funds will be used to purchase and install a state-of-the-art communications console at Troop D Headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina. The console to be replaced is outdated technology and parts are no longer available. Parts must be scavenged from other abandoned consoles of the same vintage (if they can be found) or fabricated. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alamance County, North Carolina Address of Requesting Entity: 124 West Elm Street, Graham, North Carolina 27253 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 for the 800 MHz Emergency Communications System Conversion project in Alamance County, North Carolina. Specifically, funds will be used to convert its current VHF emergency communications system to an 800 MHz emergency communications system between January 1, 2009 and July 1, 2009. The reason for converting to the 800 MHz emergency communications system is based on two primary needs: safety and interoperability. Under the current VHF system, there are areas within the county that are without coverage which causes a safety issue for many of our system users and health and/or safety issues for those in need of emergency services. There are times when the users are unable to communicate with anyone. Because many of the users in Alamance County are on different VHF systems, there is also a lack of interoperability between users. Currently, only the City of Burlington, the Town of Elon, and the Town of Gibsonville Guilford/Greensboro's 800 MHz system. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: North Carolina State University's National Textile Center and the Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation [TC] \2\ Address of Requesting Entity: N.C. State University, Contracts and Grants, Administrative Services Building III, Raleigh, NC 27695 and 211 Gregson Drive, Cary, NC 27511 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $100,000 for the National Textile Center and the Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation [TC] \2\. Specifically, funding will be used for developing new materials; providing trained personnel, industrial partnerships and technology transfer mechanisms; strengthening the nation's textile research and education efforts; and improving textile and apparel productions techniques. This request was almost made by Reps. Watt, Myrick, Hayes, Shuler, and Butterfield. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Department of Education Elementary and Secondary Education (FIE) account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC-G) Address of Requesting Entity: 1601 MHRA Building, 1111 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, North Carolina 27412 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $250,000 for the ON TRACK--LEARN MATH project. Specifically, funds will be used to develop a reform-based problem-solving mathematics enrichment program for use in after school settings with elementary school-aged children. Undergraduate majors in elementary education at UNCG and elementary school teachers in Guilford County will team together to deliver the ON TRACK programs. The ON TRACK program, together with current efforts spearheaded by local and state curriculum directors, will address several problems related to mathematics instruction and achievement: the manner and methods used to teach mathematics, low student achievement, teachers' low expectations of students in this area, and the upcoming reforms to the NC mathematics curriculum in 2009. To foster student engagement and parent support for this program, the program will provide fun, stimulating activities that use hands-on experiences to reinforce conceptual learning. This project has not received federal funds and is lead by Rep. Brad Miller Requesting Member: Congressman Howard Coble Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Health and Human Services Office of the Secretary account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC-G) Address of Requesting Entity: 1601 MHRA Building, 1111 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, North Carolina 27412 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $238,000 for the North Carolina Council for Health Literacy project. Specifically, dollars will be used to support the infrastructure for this initiative, which would address health literacy. This includes support training for public health and clinical health professionals; statewide readability service, media campaign; and targeted research and evaluation projects. This project has not received federal funds and is lead by Rep. Brad Miller.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, great sports teams become known for doing everything well, but at least one thing better than everyone else. Championships are earned by those teams that can adapt during a title run. That's exactly what happened to a high school football team in our congressional district that was known for an explosive offense, but won a state championship by having its defense rise to the occasion. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we wish to congratulate the football team of West Rowan High School for winning the North Carolina 3A state championship. The Falcons soared to new heights with the first football championship in the school's history. The championship was not won with an explosive offense for which West Rowan is known, but by a spectacular display of defense that forced six turnovers. The team was led by Head Coach Scott Young who was able to pull the squad together and make them believe they were capable of anything. As a result, the Falcons finished the season with an impressive 15-1 record that was capped with a dominating 35-7 win over West Craven High School. The championship season was a team effort led by seniors AJ Little, Brantley Horton, Nate Dulin, Austin Greenwood, Tim Flanagan, Jeremy Melchor, Kameron Finchum, Jonathan Hill, Matt Bishop, Marquise Allison, Matt Turchin, Josh Safrit, Marco Gupton, Dylan Andrews, Brett Graham, Ricky Moore, Kenderic Dunlap, Joseph Kerley, Garrett Teeter, Daniel Spainhour, Dustin Davis, and Casey Reavis, juniors Kevin Parks, Jr., Maxx Gore, Ershawn Wilder, Jon Crucitti, Quan Cowan, Coleman Phifer, Desmond Shaver, Chris Smith, Jairahmai Robinson, John Jancic, Tim Pangburn, Rodney Cline, Mackel Gaither, Altariq Abraham, Eli Goodson, and Josh Poe, sophomores Trey Mashore, Nolan Phillips, BJ Sherrill, Aakeem Minter, Dominique Noble, Eric Cowan, Patrick Hampton, Tyler Mullis, Emmanuel Gbunblee, Charles Holloway, Armando Trujillio, Justin Teeter, Xavier Still, Tim Jancic, Davon Quarles, Kendall Hosch, and freshmen Christian Hedrick, Jarvis Morgan, Louis Kraft, and Troy Culbertson. Also assisting the team during this outstanding 15-1 season were assistant coaches Ed Bowles, Butch Browning, Jeff Chapman, Joel Crotts, Tim Dixon, Ralph Ellis, David Hunt, Lee Linville, Joe Nixon, Kevin Parks, Sr., Stevie Williams, and Durwood Bynum, athletic trainer Amber DeDoming, video coordinator Alan Champion, and ball boys Bryant Young, Marcus Corry, Jr., and Owen White. Again, on behalf of the Sixth District, we would like to congratulate Principal Jamie Durant, Athletic Director Todd Bell, Head Coach Scott Young, and everyone affiliated with the West Rowan Falcons for proving the old football adage that great defenses win championships. Congratulations to West Rowan on a spectacular season and for winning the North Carolina 3A state championship.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, while the Super Bowl may be over, we cannot close the books on this football season without mentioning a high school in my district that truly defines the word super. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we wish to congratulate the varsity football team of Thomasville High School for winning the North Carolina 1-AA, championship. The Bulldogs won the title on December 13, 2008, with a convincing 42-13 win over East Bladen High. This adds to the winning history at Thomasville High, which will place an 8th championship trophy in its collection. This year's championship, which was won at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, meant that the Bulldogs, who were led by Head Coach Allen Brown, completed an undefeated 16-0 season. The Bulldogs are accustomed to winning; Thomasville has won 4 of the last 5 State championships in their division. While there were many strong efforts, the championship win was a team effort led by seniors Chris Brooks, D.J. McLendon, Brad Wilkes, Dujuan Ingram, Brandon Moss, Heath Stroud, Martez Wilson, Vince Sanders, Alex Parham, David Coard, Desmond Hare, Robert Benjamin, Darius Baxter, Thomas McLendon, and Roberto Duhart, juniors De'arius Dow, Jonathan Hinson-Brady, Malcolm Ivory, Brandon Lucas, Ralph Woods, C.J. Campbell, Tywon Little, Demonte Kearse, Brandon Royall, Vince Gobble, Mark Green, Tariq Camp, Joe Baranowski, and Kevin Green, along with sophomores Isaiah Williams, Robert Davis, Ian Flowers, John Campbell, Devonte Gordon-Hunter, Lawson Hodges, Lawrence Thomas, Steven Stanly, Jaquan Daniels, Sherrod Young, Kesean Green, and James Boyd. Also assisting the team during this incredible season were assistant coaches Roger Bryant, Sam Captain, Heath Williamson, Nick Sweitzer, Jaz Tate, Tyler Tobin, Stan Baranowski, Brandon Staton, and Richard Herman, community coaches Vince Brown, Ed Courtney, Kemp Harvey, Don Osborne, and Benjie Brown, trainer Kenney Coker, AV Crew Travis Leonard, Wade Loftin, Casey Medlin, and Adam Oakley, middle school head coach Kelvin Carraway, and team doctors David Williams and Robin Williams. Again, on behalf of the Sixth District, we would like to congratulate Principal Dirk Gurley, Athletic Director Woody Huneycutt, Head Coach Allen Brown, and everyone affiliated with the Thomasville High School Bulldogs on having another great season and for winning the North Carolina 1-AA football championship yet again. The Bulldogs are super once more.