Larry Combest

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I am touched deeply by the gentleman's comments and the fact that you will take this special order to do this. One never expects to find themselves in this position, and we have seen it over the years as others make their departures, and you never know exactly how it feels until that time comes for yourself. But I appreciate so much the gentleman's kind words opening this and those of my friends and my colleagues that had very kind things to say. It is the friendships, I think, that one can develop here that is important. It is not just the work. It is the friendships that you can develop and the growth and the years that you can watch occur to your colleagues and to your friends and to your staff. I appreciate so much the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry) mentioning so many people that have been involved in the making of the success of the office, not my success, but the success of the office that the people of the 19th District through 10 elections gave us the opportunity to sit in because they are important. He knows them well. As he mentioned, as a former chief of staff, he is one of those that should definitely be mentioned when you think about hiring the best. You all see that every day in the work that he continues and that he does in this House, his thoughtfulness, his integrity, his intelligence, his character. Sharon and I fondly remember watching him and his now-wife and mother of their children when they were dating and attending their wedding and watching Mary Kemp and Will as they grew up and as they were born and as they have turned into young adults; and they are dear, dear friends and very dear in our hearts. And to others, I am just sorry that when Gil Gutknecht was here we did not have a little Rodney Dangerfield episode. I encourage any of my colleagues who have never had the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) do Rodney Dangerfield that it is worth your time. To, obviously, all of those who put in the hard work on the committee and those who came tonight that were not part of the committee, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger) are dear Texas friends for coming and sharing with us. They are both dear, dear friends, dear people to us, and their families. That will be the thing, I suppose, more than anything that is missed. It has been a wonderful ending to a career that we have seen an opportunity to visit with a lot of groups. I always find that the person whose name is on the letterhead is the one who gets the award or the one who gets the acclaim, but certainly not the one that solely is responsible for any of the work that is done. I think back to the most recent thing, of course that has been the farm bill, but back to the years on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a wonderful dedicated staff of public servants. Most of their work no one will ever know. We wrote a piece of work over a 2-year period of time that was called IC-21, the Intelligence Community for the 21st Century, and it created a lot of turf battles. It did not get far, but I told the staff as that was completed that the good news was and the thing they could rest in was that someday the intelligence community would look like that product. And following September 11, it is becoming to look more like it, because it was a work in what should be done. Certainly the most recent effort, the farm bill, was a tremendous dedication by a lot of people. The committee and all of the members of the committee were so dedicated to producing a product and laying aside any partisan bickering and certainly laying aside even parochial interest for the better of the whole. And it was a success. It was something that took a lot of work. I have often said to those groups that I have had a chance to meet with that I only wish that they knew the work that was put in by the committee staff. It is something they will never have an appreciation of, the time that they spend away from family; literally the nights that were spent on the floor, on couches, in chairs, wherever they could grab a quick nap, wherever they could get a little rest and then plod on from there. They never quit. They never gave up. They did it with wonderful smiling faces. American agriculture, I think, has never seen such a capable staff assembled, nor do I suspect they will ever see one that is more capable ever assembled in the future. They did such great work. Bill O'Conner, chief of staff, who was in and around the committee nearly 20 years ago when I started, and who knows a great deal about the institution, about agriculture, and about the process. And it was many, many long hard hours under his leadership and direction that that staff continued to work. And everyone worked together. Tom Sell, who was the deputy chief of staff, one of the great young men that I have gotten to know over the years. It does not hurt also that his son and I share the same birthday. Noah and Gil Gutknecht and I have the same birthday, and it is something we will obviously always remember. I could tell a story about every member of that staff and the work that they put into the end product that became the farm bill. There were some, Alan Mackey, who literally was so wracked with pain that it was difficult at times for him to even get out of bed, but was always there, every day, long, long hours every day. Dr. Elizabeth Parker was undergoing chemo at the time and set a new style for women's hair fashions in the Committee on Agriculture. She was there every day. Debbie Smith, whose home was less than a quarter of a mile away from those hit by a tornado, spent 3 days up here and never went home to see how things were because it was at a critical time here. So many others on both the majority and the minority. There was an effort put into this in a bipartisan fashion, as my dear, dear friend Charlie Stenholm said that was not for politics but for the good of the cause of American agriculture. There are so many people over the years that I could spend a lot longer than any of my colleagues want to spend mentioning the staff and the work they do. They make us look awfully good. All of us know that. They are the ones that produce the work that really makes a difference, that keep the fires burning. I will be very remiss in not mentioning every one of them, and I could, and you are all in my thoughts; but I will particularly mention Lynn and Patty, who were there the day the door opened and will be there the day the lights are turned out, and have just kept things going, and so many in the district. It has reminded me a great deal over the past several months of a particular translation from Corinthians that says, ``What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God how can anyone boast as having accomplished anything on their own?'' And I think we have to always recognize there are a lot of others, including much more powerful than we, who direct our lives and who direct the things that we do. And I will just close with this, Mr. Speaker, again giving my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, but saving the best for last, I want to thank Sharon. This is, as all my colleagues know, a family effort. This is not something we, anyone, does alone. It takes a tremendous amount of sacrifice and dedication on the part of our spouses. Mine is extra special. I have very fond memories of this place, but one of the things that she and I have talked about is that we hope that we have spent our last night apart, as so many nights we spend apart from our families when we are in Congress. And to those of you who we will miss greatly not being here, the fact that 24 hours of every day I will spend with her, I can take missing you all a little bit. We are looking very forward to the next phase in our lives, spending it together. It was quite ironic, I think, when we made the announcement publicly that we were going to make this move. We just simply could not quit. Everyone was just so interested, particularly the media, about what was wrong. There has to be a problem. You cannot just walk away from this. And I think she summed it up quite well when she said, isn't it really sad that people do not think you can leave that to spend more time with your wife? And it is, I guess, if people think that with all of the wonderful opportunities that we have here, that that is more important to us than those that we care about. And so we are looking forward to this next phase, I will assure you, as much as we were 18\1/2\ years ago when we came here preparing for this phase; but it will be done in a different setting. We intend to continue in our service. It will be in an unpaid capacity, and it will be done out of dedication and love for each other and for people. But this has been a wonderful opportunity, and I am proud of the accomplishments that this House has made over the years and that I have been able to just sit here and be a part of it. We will continue to watch you occasionally, to see how you are doing. But come about middle of the summer, when it is really hot and humid here, we will be somewhere under the cool trees in the mountains of Colorado, maybe spending enough time there that I could almost become a constituent of my good friend Governor Bill Owens. We will not be there quite that long, we will always have a home in our beloved Texas, but we are looking forward to that adventure in our lives. So next week, when you are out doing your Memorial Day parades, we are going to start the fishing trip. Thank you very much.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Lennard Christensen, who has been named Male Athlete of the Year of Texas Tech University. Lennard began playing with the Texas Tech football team in 1999. In the fall of 2000-2001 he was named to the Big Twelve Academic first team. He excelled on special teams and always inspired his teammates with his positive attitude. Even though he was not a starter on defense, Lennard nonetheless earned enough respect from his teammates to receive many votes for Team Captain. In addition to his dedication to Red Raider football, Lennard served as President of the Texas Tech Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the Big Twelve Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In 2001, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas Tech with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration and is currently maintaining a 4.0 in Tech's M.B.A. program. As if these accomplishments on the athletic field and in the classroom were not enough, Lennard is currently applying his many talents and work ethic in my office as an intern under the Texas Tech President's Congressional Intern Program for the Spring 2003 semester. He is a valuable asset to me and my staff under this program which enables students to learn firsthand about the legislative process. It is with great pride and pleasure, Mr. Speaker, that I call to my colleagues' attention the outstanding achievements of this dedicated and motivated young man, who is has brought a great credit to his generation, his school and our fine State. Lennard is truly a born leader, whose future is bright. I am confident that he will continue to set lofty goals, and will not stop working hard to attain them. I congratulate him on this distinct honor and wish him all the best in the future.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Marsha Sharp for her outstanding accomplishments as the head coach of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders. Her efforts have gained her 500 career wins at the helm of this storied basketball program. Marsha Sharp has become the 22nd women's basketball coach in NCAA Division I history, and just the second in Texas, to achieve 500 wins. Her career record of 500-156 and winning percentage of .762 ranks in the top 10 among all-time Division I coaches. Marsha Sharp's success as a coach and mentor has been nationally renowned during her 20 years at Texas Tech. Her commitment to excellence has earned many successes for both her and the teams that she has led. Coach Sharp is in her 21st season as the head coach of the Lady Raider Basketball program. She guided the Lady Raiders to the NCAA National Championship in 1993 and has led Texas Tech to the NCAA Tournament 15 times, including 13 straight. She has taken her team to the Sweet 16 nine times and the Elite Eight three times. She has also led her teams to numerous conference titles. Marsha Sharp's achievements go far beyond wins and conference titles. She has volunteered her precious time for numerous civic activities and non-profit organizations. She helps these worthy groups generate awareness and raise much needed funds. Texas Tech and the Lubbock Community are very privileged to have an individual that is as caring and generous as Coach Sharp. It is with great pride that I commend Marsha Sharp for her accomplishments as a coach and community leader, and I congratulate her on winning her 500th game as the head coach of the Lady Raiders.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call my colleagues' attention to an honor recently bestowed on my constituent and friend, Mr. David Seim. Recently, David was awarded the Rita Harmon Volunteer Service Award from the Lubbock Area United Way in recognition of his lifetime of community service. David's work with various organizations such as the South Plains Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Lubbock Country Club, the Southwest Lubbock Rotary Club, YWCA, Covenant Health System and Trinity Church exemplify his selfless nature and dedication to the public good. Through his hard work and giving nature, the Lubbock community has benefited immensely. David attended Texas Tech and graduated from the Southern Methodist University's Graduate School of Banking. While he works for Plains Capitol Corp. in Dallas, he still lives in Lubbock and continues to serve as a board member of the Lubbock Area United Way. It is with great pleasure, Mr. Speaker, that I honor this dedicated man for his commitment to give back to his community. David Seim has given much of his life to serving his community, and his efforts are greatly appreciated. I wish to congratulate David on his recent award and thank him for his continuing dedication to the public good.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Marsha Sharp for her outstanding dedication to the athletic and academic achievement of her student-athletes. Her efforts have gained her an induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame for spring 2003. Marsha Sharp will be among the fifth class of inductees into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. The six individuals inducted in this class will bring the total number of individuals in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame to 73. Marsha Sharp is more than a coach; she is also a leader and role-model for many athletes and students not only at Texas Tech, but all across the country. Her commitment to excellence has earned many successes for both her and the teams that she has led. Coach Sharp is in her 21st season as the head coach of the Lady Raider Basketball program and in that time has established a career record of 479-153, She guided the Lady Raiders to the NCAA National Championship in 1993 and has led Texas Tech to the NCAA Tournament 15 times, including 13 straight. She has taken her team to the Sweet 16 nine times and the Elite Eight three times. She has also led her teams to numerous conference titles. The Women's Basketball News Service and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association named her coach of the year in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Marsha Sharp has not only led her teams to success on the court, but also in the classroom, as 99 percent of her student athletes have graduated during her tenure at Texas Tech. It is with great pride that I commend Marsha Sharp for her active involvement and leadership both on and off the court, and I congratulate her on being inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the Cheerleaders of Frenship Junior High. Through their hard work and dedication, these young women won the National Cheerleading Association National Championship. Since September, the girls of Frenship Junior High have practiced their routines at least two hours a week. The competition began on December 28th, where the girls qualified for the finals competition the next day. They overcame nerves and last minute alterations in their routine to take the championship on December 29, 2002 with a score of 9.05 on a scale of 10. After so many months of practice and determination, the squad pulled through with a spectacular victory. It is with great pleasure, Mr. Speaker, that I honor these dedicated young women for their commitment to their sport. The Frenship Junior High School cheerleaders stand out as very dedicated and motivated individuals. I wish to congratulate these girls on their success in such a competitive sport.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievements of Jessica Hughes, an individual who has overcome her physical disabilities and has become an inspiration to all with whom she comes in contact. Jessica Hughes, a determined 16-year-old from Idalou, Texas, was born with cerebral palsy, is visually impaired, and is confined to a wheelchair, but does not let her disabilities slow her down. She actively participates in State and local stock shows, in which she proudly shows lambs. She has been showing lambs since she was in the third grade and has won several ribbons at fairs in Lubbock. At her home, she trains and exercises the lambs every day, sometimes with the assistance of her father. Although she lacks the physical strength to lift the lambs, as many of the children showing them do, she has overcome that barrier with a modification to her motorized wheelchair. All who witness her compete in these shows cannot help but be encouraged by her indomitable spirit. I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to the achievements of this remarkable young lady. Jessica Hughes is indeed an inspiration to all and a fine role model for young people.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5710, the Homeland Security Act of 2002. I appreciate the cooperation of the Select Committee on Homeland Security as the Agriculture Committee developed it's recommendations relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities and the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. The inspection programs administered by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are designed to prevent both the intentional and inadvertent introduction of harmful plant and animal pests and diseases into the U.S. ecosystem--pests and diseases that could threaten the abundance and variety of the U.S. food supply and cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars to eradicate. On average, more than 250,000 people travel to the United States each day. In addition, there are millions and millions of pieces of international mail and countless commercial import and export shipments. As part of the USDA program, Plant Protection and Quarantine officers, with help from detector dogs in the USDA's Beagle Brigade which sniff luggage for hidden fruits and vegetables, inspect passenger baggage, mail, and cargo at all U.S. ports of entry. USDA officers make about 2 million interceptions of illegal agricultural products every year. Included in that total are more than 295,000 lots of unauthorized meat and animal byproducts that have the potential to carry diseases to American livestock and poultry. Inspectors also find nearly more than a 100,000 plant pests and diseases that could have been dangerous to our agricultural industry. The Administration's original proposal to move APHIS in its entirety was made in good faith. However, many of our constituents raised concerns about the scope of the proposal. While most organizations testified that the border inspection function of the USDA could theoretically be transferred, they did so with many concerns regarding the delivery of inspection services critical to the mission of safeguarding against the introduction of plant and animal pests and diseases. After a hearing in the Agriculture Committee on June 26th, and numerous meetings with the Officer of Homeland Security, the Administration agreed to accept modifications of their original proposal. Instead of taking the entire Animal Plant & Health Inspection Service to the Department of Homeland Security, the Administration has accepted our proposal transferring just those agency personnel actually conducting import and entry inspections. The Plum Island Animal Disease Center would be transferred to the new Department, but access would be provided for USDA to continue research, diagnostic and other necessary activities. Under our recommendation, the rest of APHIS would remain at the Department of Agriculture and would continue to operate largely as it does today. Additionally, USDA will set the policy for the border inspections to be conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and will supervise the training of those inspectors. All of the remaining functions, such as protecting animal and plant health, facilitating imports and exports, administering the Animal Welfare Act, operating Wildlife Services and providing technical support for trade negotiations, will remain at USDA. Mr. Speaker, further clarification of the intent of the House Committee on Agriculture was included in House Report 107-609 which accompanied the original legislation--H.R. 5005. The description of the Committee's action and a statement of Congressional intent with regards to the provisions affecting agricultural programs is as follows: Sec. 310. Transfer of Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Department of Agriculture. Transfers the Plum Island Animal Disease Center from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Homeland Security and requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security, upon completion of the transfer, to enter into an agreement providing for continued access by USDA for research, diagnostic and other programs. The Committee recognizes the critical importance of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to the safety and security of animal agriculture in the United States. The Committee expects that the transfer of this foreign animal disease facility to the Department of Homeland Security shall be completed in a manner that minimizes any disruption of agricultural research, diagnostic or other Department of Agriculture activities. Likewise, the Committee expects that funds that have and continue to be appropriated for the maintenance, upgrade, or replacement of agricultural research, diagnostic and training facilities at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center shall continue to be expended for those purposes. The Committee shares the goal of expanding the capabilities of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Likewise, the Committee supports the accompanying goal of building agro-terrorism prevention capabilities within the Department of Homeland Security. With this in mind, the Committee fully expects that in the absence of alternative facilities for current Department of Agriculture activities, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall make every possible effort tot expand and enhance agricultural activities related to foreign animal diseases at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Sec. 421. Transfer of Certain Agricultural Inspection Functions of the Department of Agriculture. (a) Transfers to the Secretary of Homeland Security the functions of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities. The Committee is aware that the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Program of the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service conducts numerous activities with respect to both domestic and international commerce in order to protect the health of agriculturally important animals and plants within the United States. Within the Department of Homeland Security will be created a mission area of Border and Transportation Security. In order that the new streamlined border security program operates efficiently, the Committee has transferred to the Department of Homeland Security the responsibility for certain agricultural import and entry inspection activities of the Department of Agriculture conducted at points of entry. This transfer will include the inspection of arriving passengers, luggage, cargo and means of conveyance into the United States to the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security. In addition to inspection at points of entry into the United States, responsibility for inspections of passengers, luggage and their means of conveyance, at points of departure outside the United States, where agreements exist for such purposes, shall be the responsibility of the Secretary of Homeland Security. The provision allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to exercise authorities related to import and entry inspection functions transferred including conducting warrantless inspections at the border, collecting samples, holding and seizing articles that are imported into the United States in violation of applicable laws and regulations, and assessing and collecting civil penalties at the border. The Committee intends that the Department of Agriculture will retain the responsibility for all other activities of the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Program regarding imports including pre-clearance of commodities, trade protocol verification activities, fumigation activities, quarantine, diagnosis, eradication and indemnification, as well as other sanitary and phytosanitary measures. All functions regarding exports, interstate and intrastate activities will remain at the Department of Agriculture. (b) Delineates the laws governing agricultural import and entry inspection activities that are covered by the transfer of authorities. The Committee is aware that the authority to inspect passengers, cargo, and their means of conveyance coming into the United States is derived from numerous statutes that date back, in some cases, more than 100 years. The Committee does not intend that the reference to these statutes should be construed to provide any authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security beyond the responsibility to carry out inspections (including pre-clearance inspections of passengers, luggage and their means of conveyance in such countries where agreements exist for such purposes) and enforce the regulations of the Department of Agriculture at points of entry into the United States. (c) Excludes quarantine activities from the term ``functions'' as defined by this Act for the purposes of this section. While agricultural inspection functions, as well as those related administrative and enforcement functions, shall be transferred and become the responsibility of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the legislation retains all functions related to quarantine activities and quarantine facilities within the Department of Agriculture. Although the Committee has excluded quarantine activities from those functions transferred to the Department of Homeland Security, the Committee does not intend to preclude the Secretary of Homeland Security from taking actions related to inspection functions such as seizure or holding of plant or animal materials entering the United States. These authorities fall within the purview of inspection related enforcement functions that shall be transferred to the Secretary of Homeland Security. (d) Requires that the authority transferred to the Secretary of Homeland Security shall be exercised in accordance with the regulations, policies and procedures issued by Secretary of Agriculture; requires the Secretary of Agriculture to coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland Security whenever the Secretary of Agriculture prescribes regulations, policies, or procedures for administering the covered laws related to the functions transferred under subsection (a); provides that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, may issue guidelines and directives to ensure the effective use of personnel of the Department of Homeland Security to carry out the transferred functions. One intention of this legislation is to create a streamlined Border and Transportation Security program at points of entry into the United States. With regard to the protection of animal and plant health, the Committee does not intend or expect the Department of Homeland Security to make the determination of what animals, plants, animal or plant products, soils, or other biological materials present an unacceptable risk to the agriculture of the United States. Policies and procedures regarding actions necessary to detect and prevent such unacceptable risks shall remain the responsibility of the Secretary of Agriculture. Likewise, policies and regulations defining restrictions on movement into the United States of substances that would pose a threat to agriculture shall continue to be the responsibility of the Secretary of Agriculture. The Committee has provided authority for the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue directives and guidelines in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture in order to efficiently manage inspection resources. When exercising this authority, the Committee expects that the agricultural inspection function at points of entry into the United States shall not be diminished, and as a result, the Committee expects that Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that necessary resources are dedicated to carrying out the agricultural inspection functions transferred from the Department of Agriculture. (e) Requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into an agreement to effectuate the transfer of functions. The agreement must address the training of employees and the transfer of funds. In addition the agreement may include authority for the Secretary of Homeland Security to perform functions delegated to APHIS for the protection of domestic livestock and plants, as well as authority for the Secretary of Agriculture to use employees of the Department of Homeland Security to carry out APHIS functions. The Committee is aware of the unique nature and the specialized training necessary for effective and efficient border inspection activities carried out by the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Program. The Committee expects that the training of personnel and detector dogs for this highly specialized function will continue to be supervised by the Department of Agriculture. While a large proportion of the personnel employed by the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Program are permanently stationed at one of 186 points of entry into the United States, the Committee is aware that the Secretary of Agriculture commonly redeploys up to 20% of the border inspection force in order to manage agricultural pests and diseases throughout the United States. In completing the transfer of Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Program border inspectors to the Department of Homeland Security, the Committee expects that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security will enter into an agreement whereby inspection resources, where possible, would continue to be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture in response to domestic agricultural needs. (f) Provides that the Secretary of Agriculture shall transfer funds collected by fee authorities to the Department of Homeland Security so long as the funds do not exceed the proportion of the costs incurred by the Secretary of Homeland Security in carrying out activities funded by such fees. Beginning in fiscal year 2003, the unobligated balance of the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Fund will be transferred to other accounts within the Department of Agriculture and will be used to carry out import and domestic inspection activities, as well as animal and plant health quarantine activities, without additional appropriations. Fees for inspection services shall continue to be collected and deposited into these accounts in the manner prescribed by regulations issued by the Secretary of Agriculture. In effectuating the transfer of agricultural import inspection activities at points of entry into the United States, the Committee intends that funds from these accounts shall be transferred to the Department of Homeland Security in order to reimburse the Department of Homeland Security for the actual inspections carried out by the Department. The Committee expects that the Secretary of Agriculture shall continue to manage these accounts in a manner that ensures the availability of funds necessary to carry out domestic inspection and quarantine programs. (g) Provides that during the transition period, the Secretary of Agriculture shall transfer to the Secretary of Homeland Security up to 3,200 full-time equivalent positions of the Department of Agriculture. (h) Makes conforming amendments to Title V of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000 related to the protection of inspection animals.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Ms. Jean McNeely from my home town of Lubbock, Texas for her tremendous contributions to educate children and improve our community, The National Council for the Social Studies recently named her the ``National Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year.'' This award recognizes Ms. McNeely's commitment to students and her dedication to providing them a memorable educational experience in the field of social studies. ``National Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year'' is the highest honor that the National Council for the Social Studies can present to an elementary educator. Founded in 1921, the National Council for the Social Studies is the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. It boasts a membership of over 26,000 individual and institutional members from the United States and around the world. Ms. McNeely will be presented with her award in the presence of her colleagues at the Council's Annual Convention this November. As a teacher at the All Saints Episcopal School in Lubbock, Ms. NcNeely's motivation has inspired and encouraged students to pursue their dreams over the years. She is the kind of teacher that makes leaming fun and exciting. She helps set her students on a path for their future and steers them in a positive direction. I commend Ms. McNeely for her dedication to providing the students with a memorable educational experience in the field of social studies and congratulate her on being named ``National Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year.''

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the girls and leaders of the Permian Basin Girl Scout Council in Texas for exemplary service in their communities. Working through the ``90 Days of Service'' project, these Girl Scouts joined with their Texan sisters to provide 356,737 hours of service throughout the state. Juliet Low founded Girls Scouts of the USA in Savannah, Georgia in 1912. In honor of the 90th anniversary of the organization, many Girl Scout Councils participated in a 90 day long service project. The girls and leaders of the Permian Basin Girl Scout Council worked to improve the environment through adopting highways, cleaning up parks, desert lands and beaches, recycling, and working in a graffiti abatement program. They sought to aid the less fortunate through collections for Lions Clubs, food banks, humane societies, homeless programs, and children and baby organizations. These dedicated young women contributed to society by planting flowers, working with Habitat for Humanity, tutoring senior citizens in computer skills, making quilts for the needy, painting murals, rewiring lamps and providing flag ceremonies. Through hours of hard work, these girls celebrated their own special anniversary by giving others reasons to celebrate. It is with great pleasure, Mr. Speaker, that I honor these dedicated young women for their selfless service to their communities. The Girl Scouts of the Permian Basin Girl Scout Council demonstrate the promise of America's youth. I wish to congratulate these girls for their hard work and dedication in serving fellow Americans.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the Children's Home of Lubbock, Texas for the outstanding work it does on behalf of children in the State of Texas. The Children's Home of Lubbock has shown an unwavering commitment to service and placement of disadvantaged and deserving children. The doors of The Children's Home of Lubbock opened in 1954. The house began as an extension of the Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. Since that time more than 4,400 children have been helped either through placement in a family or by receiving a loving environment at the home itself. This early faith based program has been an exemplary model for other similar homes in Texas. The Home provides not only shelter, food, and safety but therapy and love also. Permanent placement is a goal of the home, but the overriding concern is caring for the children regardless of the problem or situation. As it becomes increasingly difficult for children in this world, it is imperative that centers like the Children's Home of Lubbock continue to perform the good work that they do. The home functions as more than just a center for children; it is an invaluable community resource on which many local, county, and State agencies have come to depend. The staff and volunteers are top notch, Christian individuals who give not only of their time, but also of their heart and soul. It is with great respect, Mr. Speaker, that I call on all Members to join me in congratulating and thanking the Children's Home of Lubbock. The Children's Home of Lubbock's years of service have benefitted not only the community, but the children and the adopting families. The contributions of the Children's Home of Lubbock number more than these mere words can express.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call my colleagues' attention to the remarkable careers that Bill and Carol Ellis have accomplished in the newspaper business in Parmer County. This year marks the 40th year that Mr. and Mrs. Ellis have served news consumers in Parmer County. Mr. Ellis' newspaper career began on the West Coast before he moved to Parmer County. He has served as news editor of the Friona Star. He later became managing editor of the publication. He and his wife, Carol, now own the publication through which they have served Parmer County residents well for 40 years. Bill and Carol Ellis also own the Bovina Blade, another publication that serves Parmer County residents. Bill and Carol Ellis, throughout their careers, have kept Parmer County residents informed about important issues affecting them, their communities and beyond. They have given their readers a better understanding and a greater appreciation for their communities. Although their talents could have taken their careers to larger- circulation publications, Parmer County remained home, which has been to the benefit of the readers of the Bovina Blade and Friona Star. I would like to extend to Bill and Carol Ellis my thanks for their dedication to Parmer County residents, and I wish them well in their continued service to the public through providing informative and insightful coverage of Parmer County communities.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend Chairman Tauzin, ranking Member Dingell and all of the other conferees and their staffs for their hard work on this important legislation. This conference report represents a concerted effort by the Congress, the Bush Administration and numerous constituent groups coming together to tackle, head-on the threat of bioterrorism in the United States. The attacks of September 11, and the subsequent mailing of Anthrax contaminated mail to the capitol, media outlets, and the devastating release of this deadly organism in postal facilities, led all Americans to reconsider the fundamentals. Members of Congress naturally turned to exploring ways that the public can be protected from potential terrorist attacks. As Chairman of the Agriculture committee, my responsibility has been to evaluate and safeguard our nation's food supply. The Congress, working with the Executive branch, has a responsibility to farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers, and consumers to ensure appropriate steps are being taken to maintain confidence in our food supply. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been in the biosecurity business for a long time. The Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has its origins in the 19th century. The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) started operations at the beginning of the 20th century. Likewise, other sectors of our economy have recognized the fact that they have had to make wholesale changes in how they function. In some cases, organizations are in the process of being completely retooled or even created out of whole cloth. Thankfully, with regards to the Department of Agriculture, we already have broad legal authorities, plentiful resources, and trained personnel already in place to address the threats of the 21st century. Nearly 5,000 APHIS employees securing our border from the importation of animal and plant diseases and 7,600 FSIS inspectors in every meat and poultry plant in America are already working to protect our food production system. Obviously, the events of September 11 have caused these and other agencies of USDA to increase their vigilance, but we are very fortunate to have them. Not unlike our firefighters and police, they do a difficult job every day; a job we appreciate even more during these troubled times. With this legislation, additional resources will be authorized for the USDA to modernize its Agricultural Research Service laboratory facilities. Likewise, funding is authorized for the USDA to provide grants to agricultural colleges and universities to review their security needs. These grants, coupled with security upgrade grant authority included as part of the recently passed Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 will strengthen our biosecurity and food safety research capabilities for years to come. Likewise, authority is granted to expand on USDA's biosecurity research programs, both in the Agricultural Research Service, and those programs involving colleges and universities throughout United States. This conference report strengthens USDA's regulatory efforts with regard to food safety, and animal and plant health. Specifically, the conference report recognizes the inadequacy of current USDA authorities with regard to the regulation of biological agents and toxins that present a severe threat to plant or animal health, and the products of plants and animals. Based on this recognition, the conference report adopts provisions that would grant nearly identical authorities to the USDA as those granted to the Department of Health and Human Services for the regulation of possession, use or transfer of listed biological agents and toxins. Mr. Speaker, I would close by once again thanking all of the conferees who have worked on this legislation. Likewise, I would like to thank the employees of the Department of Agriculture who worked very closely with my staff in hammering out the details of this legislation. Specifically, I would like to mention the outstanding efforts of Dr. Curt Mann and Deb Atwood from the Office of the Secretary, Molly Phillips from the Office of Congressional Relations, Pilar Ruttenberg and Sheila Novak from the Office of General Counsel, Courtney Billet, Dr. Andrea Morgan and Mr. Chuck Schwalbe from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and Christy Slamowitz from the Office of the Inspector General.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Seminole High School in Gaines County, Texas for winning the 2002 University Interscholastic League Class AAA State Academic Championship. Students from Seminole High School proved themselves superior to students from throughout the state of Texas at the UIL one-act play and academic meet competition earlier this month. Seminole High School earned 119\1/2\ points, which was 10\1/2\ points higher than its closest competitor. Seminole High School has performed well during the state UIL competitions in past. The school won first place in the state competition in 1993 and 1994. Students of Seminole High School won runner-up honors in 1995 and 2001. The UIL competition requires students to prove their skills and knowledge in a wide range of studies, including mathematics, science, writing, reading and interpretation. Students also must perform a one-act play. Students at Seminole High School have accomplished a commendable achievement. The students' success in statewide competition reflects highly on their dedication to academic excellence, and it reflects highly on their teachers and administrators to whom their education has been entrusted. It is with great pride that I recognize the Seminole High School students competing in the 2002 UIL competition in Class AAA for their tremendous accomplishment. Children's academic successes are crucial to our nation's continued growth and prosperity, and students at Seminole High School seem poised to serve this country well. I am proud to represent such a high achieving academic institution as Seminole High School.

Mr. COMBEST

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2646 just adopted.

Mr. COMBEST

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

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully object, because this is the first time a lot of Members have seen this. There is no debate on this. Consequently, as short as it is, I think it should be read.

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Pickering).

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman would also inquire as to the closing rights.

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) who has done a wonderful job on the committee in these last 2 years.

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, could the Chair give us an accounting of the time?

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla), chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Thune). (Mr. THUNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)