Jim Cooper

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, it is official. Last night, the House Budget Committee passed a budget which will, in a few short years, require us to spend more money on interest payments to bond holders than we spend on domestic government in the United States of America. Let me be precise. We will be spending more on budget interest to bond holders, many of whom are foreign, than we spend on domestic nondefense discretionary spending in this country. This will happen by the year 2009. What a tragedy. We are spending more money on bond holders than we are on our own citizens. It took 204 years to have this happen. The other party will not even allow a recorded vote on this issue so that we can see how people stand on that issue. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Blue Dog reform package. It is tough against the deficit. To some of our Republican friends, if you want to reduce these deficits, get on that bill.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I first would like to thank my new friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kuhl). I believe he took the place of one of the great gentlemen of our time, Mr. Amo Houghton, who represented that area of New York State extremely well for many years. I would also like to thank my good friend from California (Mr. Cunningham) for his sponsorship of this bill. This same measure passed the House of Representatives last session by 402 to zero, remarkable widespread and bipartisan support; and I wish we could see that level of support across our great Nation for music education in our schools, because this is truly a worthwhile endeavor. I have the good fortune of representing Nashville, Tennessee, which as many of you know is Music City, USA. Nashville and the surrounding communities are probably home to more singers, song writers, and talented musicians than perhaps any other community in the world. It is truly a remarkably creative place. We like to say that literally everyone who lives there is a singer, song writer, or musician. It is just that some of them have not cut their demos yet. There is so much that music offers, and we should be able to support music for its own sake. But as my friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kuhl), has already said, music helps so many other endeavors in school as well: math, science. It helps kids of all types as well. It helps our high-achieving kids, and it helps our low-achieving kids. So this is a truly valuable part of our school curriculum. It should be offered in all our schools so all of our children have the chance to learn the joys of music. I think as many of you all realize, some of the most important intimate moments of our lives are usually associated with a song, a song that we carry in our hearts throughout our days and a song that was written somewhere, sometime by a remarkably talented individual who found that song in his or her heart. So music is important to our lives. It is important that we cultivate a love for music from the age of our youngest children so that they can grow up and develop their full God-given potential, whether it be music or whether it be math or science or reading or art or any of the other great disciplines that they are learning in our school systems. So I would encourage Members to support this resolution. I would encourage our local school boards across the country not to repeat the mistake that we saw evidenced in that movie called Mr. Holland's Opus. Some of my colleagues may have seen it. It is a story of a fabulous schoolteacher, a music teacher and a school system, who knows where, who taught so well for decades, who taught band, introducing kids to the pleasure of marching music as well as an introduction to other forms of music, and yet, in the case of Mr. Holland, he was terminated by the local school board for lack of funds. It is important that our children have a broad, balanced education, that it include music, and there is no better time than the month of March for that love of music to demonstrate. So I appreciate my colleagues in the House. I appreciate the Committee on Education and the Workforce allowing a waiver of the normal jurisdiction so the bill could be brought forward in a timely manner. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. COOPER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), my good friend and colleague, a man whose own voice has remarkable musical qualities. It is bass, but it is music.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, as Black History Month comes to a close, it gives me great pleasure to honor one of America's heroes, Mr. Bobby Lynn Caine. An unassuming resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Mr. Caine was the first African American to graduate from a publicly funded, integrated high school in the South. His story is one of bravery amidst intimidation and hatred, as he persevered to get the education that he and other African Americans so rightfully deserved. In 1956, the Supreme Court issued its final decree on the historic Brown v. Board of Education, which ended racial segregation in the South. Among those directly affected was a 16-year-old African-American student--Bobby Lynn Caine. On August 27, 1956, Bobby and eleven other black students made history by desegregating Clinton High School in Tennessee--the first public high school in the South to desegregate. Being the only black student eligible that year to graduate, Bobby knew that segregationists aimed to stop him from completing his education. Faced with an angry mob of protesters and fearing for his life, Bobby and the other black students known as the ``Clinton Twelve''--walked through picket lines that grew larger each day. A newspaper account said that ``a milling mob of approximately 1,000 gathered at the school.'' Bobby and the others suffered verbal and physical abuse from the angry mobs gathered at Clinton High School. Nevertheless, with the protection of the State troopers and the National Guard, Bobby and the other black students continued their daily walk through the picket lines and protesters with renewed determination. Bobby eventually graduated from Clinton High School on May 17, 1957, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in social work from the Tennessee State University. He also completed course work toward a master's degree. Bobby served his country in the U.S. Army and later enlisted in the Army reserve, from which he retired as Captain after 21 years of service. He now resides in Nashville with his family. Because of his courage, Bobby helped make it possible for children today of all races and ethnic backgrounds to attend school together and to learn in a safe and peaceful environment. In honor of Black History Month and on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Tennessee, I ask you to join me in honoring Bobby Lynn Caine of Nashville, who was a pioneer in the fight to desegregate the South.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Black History Month, I am honored today to pay tribute to Nashville's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) Fisk University, Meharry Medical College, and Tennessee State University. These institutes of higher learning are among the more than 115 HBCU's across the United States. While originally founded to teach freed slaves to read and write, today they welcome and educate students from a wide range of races and ethnic backgrounds. Fisk University's founding can be traced back to the days following the abolishment of slavery in America. Six months after the Civil War ended and two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, the first classes at Fisk University began on January 9, 1866. On this date, former slaves from the young to the very old openly began their quest for learning. No longer having to hide books that were forbidden to them, they could express their passion and enthusiasm for learning and pursue the path to true freedom and dignity . . . education. Since its inception, Fisk's faculty and alumni have been among the most intelligent, creative and civic-minded individuals in America. Amid its many graduates have been W.E.B. DuBois--the great writer, social critic and co-founder of the NAACP, and Booker T. Washington--the great educator and founder of Tuskegee University. Thurgood Marshall, who later became the first African-American Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, participated in the famous Fisk Race Relations Institute. Today, 68 percent of Fisk's attendees are African American. During the reconstruction period in the United States, the health of poor Americans received little attention and Nashville had the worst mortality rate in the country. The most dismal health conditions were among the blacks who suffered disproportionately from death and disease. In October 1876, the Meharry Medical College was founded and established as the Meharry Medical Department of Central Tennessee College by the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This college was formed to educate freed slaves and bring health care to the community's poor and underserved. Meharry has continued in that custom, and now is home to the Lloyd C. Elam Community Mental Health Center and the United States' first Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Under-served. Meharry is the largest private, historically black institution that is dedicated to educating healthcare professionals and biomedical scientists in America. Over- one-third of the black physicians and dentists currently practicing in the United States graduated from Meharry Medical College. A significant number of these graduates practice medicine in under-served rural and inner-city communities. Meharry's student population is over 70 percent African American. In harmony with the goals of HBCU's, Tennessee State University began offering two-year degrees to African American students in 1912. In 1922 it became a four-year teachers college and in 1958 was elevated to a full-fledged land-grant university by the Tennessee State Board of Education. Tennessee State University has been consistently named in the U.S. News & World Reports Guide to America's Best Colleges. The University continues serving a diverse group of students under the motto . . . ``enter to learn, go forth to serve.'' Its African American population is 78 percent. In addition to these HBCU's, I would also like to recognize the American Baptist College of Nashville, formerly known as the American Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with Fisk University, this seminary was a site of the civil rights movement and graduated our esteemed colleague, Congressman John Lewis, who was one of the nation's key leaders in the civil rights struggle and is now referred to as the conscience of the U.S. Congress. In honor of Black History Month and on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Tennessee, I congratulate Historically Black Colleges and Universities for their continued service in providing excellence in education not only to African Americans, but all races and ethnic groups that pursue higher learning. I also salute the American Baptist College and the many other institutions of higher education that continue to bring forth the best and brightest.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, as we observe Black History month, I rise today to celebrate the remarkable life of Mrs. DeLois Jackson Wilkinson of Nashville, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilkinson was a physical therapist, school board member and local community activist. Often referred to as ``Miss Civil Rights,'' she was among the many brave leaders who participated in the civil rights movement to make this country a better place not only for black Americans, but for all citizens. When she passed away on Saturday, January 29, 2004 at the age of 80, our country lost a dedicated advocate and a dear friend. Mrs. Wilkinson's energy, passion, and perseverance endeared her to all. Born in Fayette County, Tennessee in 1924, Mrs. Wilkinson was one of eight children. She attended Lemoyne College in Memphis and graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she became a physical therapist at Meharry Medical College. She and her husband, Fred Wilkinson, had five children whom they raised during the tumultuous civil rights era and whom they struggled to protect from the harsh realities of life in the South. Frustrated by the inequalities of segregation, Mrs. Wilkinson worked hard to ensure that she, her children and other black Americans would some day experience the joys of true freedom. She often told a story about going to a downtown department store in Nashville with her young son and passing a restaurant with a play area set up for children. Her son desperately wanted to go in, but to shield him from the harsh truth that he was not allowed, she simply told him that they were in too much of a rush. Mrs. Wilkinson recalled years later that she hated having to lie to her son. Fueled by her desire for equal rights, she helped organize sit-in demonstrations at downtown Nashville lunch counters, and in 1963 and 1983, she participated in the historic civil rights marches on Washington, DC. As a member of the Board of Education in Nashville, Mrs. Wilkinson advocated for quality education for all children. When asked to serve as a board member, she said that the question of ``why Johnny can't read needs to be answered.'' Because ``Johnny does not teach himself,'' she stressed the responsibility of the school board, administration and teachers to ensure that ``Johnny'' and others had access to a proper education. A tireless advocate, Mrs. Wilkinson devoted a lifetime to improving the lives of others. As we celebrate Black History Month, who better to recognize than Mrs. Wilkinson--an extraordinary Nashvillian who provided energy and a sense of purpose to her community, compassion and hope to the poor and sick, and promise for a better future to the repressed. On behalf of the fifth district of Tennessee, I send my deepest condolences to Mrs. Wilkinson's family and loved ones. May we all take to heart the philosophy she lived by--that ``every person should contribute positively during their lifetime to the betterment and spiritual life on earth. ``

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to pay tribute to one of Nashville's foremost community organizations, the Interdenominational Ministers' Fellowship, on the event of its 50th anniversary on December 8. Since its creation, the IMF has been a pre-eminent voice for social justice and change. It has worked tirelessly for the betterment of all of Nashville's citizens but especially as a champion for the voiceless and disadvantaged. The leaders of the IMF have long played a vital role in the life of Nashville, and its members include many of the most prominent and active of Nashville's citizens. As many of my colleagues know, Nashville has a long and proud history of community activism. Nashville played a central role in the historic struggles of the civil rights movement, and it was out of this transformational period in our nation's history that the IMF was born. The organization first grew from the wake of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education. This original group included leaders from a host of religious faiths and denominations, including the Seventh Day Adventist, the Church of Christ, the Church of God, the Episcopal Church, Islam, Baha'i and the Salvation Army. Over the past five decades, the IMF has established itself as a leading advocate for social justice. It has tackled every issue from racism to employment to education. One of its most significant achievements has been to establish the Trust Fund for Students of Historical Black Colleges and Universities, which has provided annual scholarships to numerous students over the years. The passion that IMF members have brought to their mission is truly inspiring, and few groups can better demonstrate the transformational power of grass-roots commitment and activism. It is with great honor and pride that I recognize the Interdenominational Ministers' Fellowship for the work that its members have done and will continue to do for the city of Nashville. On behalf of the people of the Fifth Congressional District, I thank the IMF for its achievements and congratulate this organization on its 50th anniversary.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, on this Saturday, National Adoption Day, courts across the country will be finalizing the adoptions of approximately 3,000 former foster care children, including several dozen children in my home state of Tennessee. I rise today in celebration of National Adoption Day and in honor of these newly- adopted children and their families. This year marks the fifth National Adoption Day, which was founded in part by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. I am proud to be a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, and I have made it one of my priorities in Congress to ensure that all children in foster care are placed in loving, permanent homes. Many children in foster care face long odds for adoption. In 2001, only about 50,000 children were adopted out of foster care, while as many as 129,000 children were left waiting. While the number of children being adopted out of foster care has been increasing, it is obvious that we have a long way to go. I believe that our churches and communities must come together with government to help end this crisis, and that is why I've introduced H.R. 4431, the One Church, One Child Act of 2004. This bill is based on a highly successful adoption ministry begun by a Catholic priest in Chicago, Fr. George Clements, more than two decades ago. The concept of One Church, One Child is simple: it is a challenge to every faith community and congregation to adopt or foster one child. If every church, synagogue and mosque in America took up this challenge, the nation's foster care problem would be virtually erased overnight. My bill would provide grant funding for community and faith based organizations to recruit and train new foster and adoptive parents and to involve faith communities in building better lives for abused and neglected children in need of loving homes. On this National Adoption Day, I am proud to honor the thousands of families across the nation who have opened their homes and their hearts to a foster child. And I look forward to the day when every child in foster care can count on finding a loving and permanent home.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. We are all sinners. None of us has clean hands, particularly on spending issues. But there is one among us who over the last 26 years has the cleanest record and the best record of doing the right thing on Federal budget deficits. That man's name is Charlie Stenholm, and he is proudly from Texas. Sadly, tragically, due to the last election and very unfair partisan gerrymandering, he will no longer be with us. But we need to carry Charlie Stenholm's message in our hearts, in both parties, every day, because this man has lived it for 26 years and in a friendly and bipartisan fashion tried to carry each one of us on his ample shoulders. It is a tough job, even in the greatest country in the history of the world, to do the right thing when it comes to future generations like his grandson sitting right there. It is a tough job to live within the budget that you set. But Charlie has done the best job of any of us. So I hope that in this debate tonight, as we are literally borrowing nearly $1 million a minute against our children and grandchildren, that we will learn to reform, because this debate is really about whether we reform our ways starting tonight. Not next Congress, not next year. Starting now. Will we adopt pay-as-you-go? Because that is the only thing that has worked around here. Charlie Stenholm has championed that. It has worked. It worked for 12 years magnificently. We all need to get behind Charlie Stenholm and adopt pay-as-you-go as the policy of this House.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. I appreciate the gentleman's excellent points. I think most Americans want to hear a solution to the problem. It is one thing to know the dimensions of the problem. They want to know an answer; and pay-as-you-go, as the gentleman described, is not only an answer that we think will work, it is proven to work. It was in place, and I think the ranking member of the committee would know better than I, I think it was in place from 1990 to 2002.

Mr. COOPER. I thank the ranking member for yielding. It is a shocking amount of debt that the administration has accumulated in a relatively short period of time. As this chart illustrates, three times in the last 4 years we have had to increase our national credit card limit, as the gentleman from North Carolina pointed out. Three times in the last 4 years. We have increased the debt limit by a staggering amount. In the year 2002, we increased it by $450 billion. In the year 2003, by $984 billion. Now we are being asked to increase it by an estimated $800 billion, for a $2.2 trillion total just in 3 or 4 years. That is a burden placed on the backs of our families, on our kids and our grandkids, as the gentleman was describing. These are truly astronomical numbers. To put them in perspective, look at this chart. What is $984 billion? That is more than our Nation borrowed from the years 1776 through 1980. Through all those years of our Nation's history, 200 years, we only borrowed $908 billion. Here in the last few years, 1 year to be exact, $984 billion extra. That shows how out of whack our finances have become. I thank the gentleman for raising this important question.

Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, so it was in place while we had Republican Presidents, the first President Bush, Democratic Presidents, and the Republican Presidents. It was in place when we had a Democratic majority in Congress and a Republican majority in Congress. And above all, it worked. It enabled us to build the surplus that we enjoyed in the Clinton years. It enabled us to reverse the flood of red ink that we saw in the Reagan-Bush years, to completely reverse our Nation's fiscal policy, only, sadly, to have it plunge back into an even deeper sea of red ink. So pay-as-you-go, the policy of only allowing new spending or new tax cuts if we can find the savings somewhere else, that is a proven remedy to our problems; and that is really what we are asking for. The Blue Dogs have a policy statement that was issued today encouraging Members to only vote for the debt ceiling increase if it contains the essential budget reforms of pay-as-you-go. So I hope all Americans will watch this debate carefully. Sadly, as the Members know, this debate is only taking place after the election when it is too late for many of our fellow citizens to cast their vote based on these facts, and they will probably have this vote not as a separate vote but rolled into a larger issue.

Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, if I could just clarify one of the gentleman's points, we are not trying to bury this in any other bill. We are not trying to hide anything. The Democrats would like a clear up-or-down vote on this issue so that the American people can see what is at stake. And that is what the Republican majority here is jeopardizing. We do not know for sure yet, but it is extremely unlikely that there will be a clear up-or-down vote because really we should have voted on this before the election, not now.

Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman would continue to yield, I agree with the gentleman. It is essential to prepare for the pending retirement of the baby boom generation and for all of our seniors so that Social Security and Medicare that they count on will in fact be there for them. The gentleman made a point earlier about the Chinese becoming our largest creditors. That is an amazing situation for the average American back home to realize because not too long ago we referred to the Chinese as the Communist Chinese, and I remember a statement made by a Russian leader years ago, Nikita Khrushchev, who claimed that Americans would one day sell them the rope by which they would hang us. That is a pretty tough statement. But right now we are in effect selling the Chinese the notes by which they could hang us financially because we are asking them to lend us so much money to finance our spending habits.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman, the statement of administration policy said they supported H.R. 2840.

Mr. COOPER. Two corrections, Mr. Chairman. First, the statement of administrative policy is dated September 28 endorses S. 2845. The closest thing we can vote on in the House to that is the Menendez amendment. Also, in the Committee on Armed Services, we reported out the bill 59 to zero, but the real vote in committee was 33 to 26, a more closely divided issue.

Mr. COOPER. The Collins-Lieberman bill, and the closest thing we are allowed to vote on is the Menendez bill. As I said, the Menendez amendment is the closest thing we are allowed to vote on in the House.

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for the time. Mr. Chairman, this is an extremely important debate. All Americans have a stake in the outcome of this debate, and it is a fascinating set of issues because, on the one hand, basically supporting the provisions of the Menendez substitute, we have none other than the President of the United States, the 9/11 Commission, most all of the 9/11 families, 96 United States Senators, including all 51 Republican Senators. We have such a notable defense expert such as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Mr. Warner. That is on one side of the debate. On the other side of the debate, in favor of H.R. 10, a bill that came out of nowhere, a purely partisan bill, we have the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services. Now, which side would most House Members choose to support? The President, the 9/11 Commission, the 9/11 families, 96 Senators, 51 Republican Senators, including Senator Warner, or our colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter)? I suggest that should be a pretty easy question for most Members of this House to decide. What really matters is the substance, and our friend, the gentleman from California, has said many times, including in today's Wall Street Journal, that it is vitally important to preserve that link between the warfighter and intelligence asset. I could not agree with the gentleman from California more. I think all Members of the committee are in favor of preserving that link. I would submit to the gentleman that the White House and our President are in favor of preserving that link. That is why they have endorsed basically the Collins-Lieberman bill, which the closest thing we will be allowed to discuss is the Menendez substitute. They have not, to my knowledge, unless the gentleman has gotten a secret submission from the White House in the last few hours, supported the gentleman's approach. So, for my friends on the other side of the aisle who are standing with our chairman, that puts the White House in a curious position. Are our colleagues on the other side of the aisle counting the White House as being incompetent and somehow supporting a bill that would do bad things to our troops? Or are they accusing the White House of being insincere and not really meaning their endorsement of Collins- Lieberman? Which is it? Because the two sides could not be more at odds. The American people reading the newspapers today probably thought that the Congress of the United States is well on its way toward intelligence bipartisan reform. Well, if the wrecking crew that is being put forward on this side of the House has its way on this side of the Capitol building, there might not be a conference that can succeed at all. It is very important that the American people get reform so that we can be better protected. I would urge the Members of this House to not just consider this a routine vote, not just to routinely go along with leadership. These are very complex issues. It is a lot to ask Members to read some 600-page bill that we got handed basically on Monday, a much longer bill than we were dealing with last week. Most of the committees that had jurisdiction were very poorly able to conduct their business. As the gentleman knows, in the Committee on Armed Services, discussions of weapons of mass destruction was ruled to be nongermane. So, due to a technicality, the Committee on Armed Services was not allowed to discuss weapons of mass destruction issues. I would ask, what is more important than discussing such issues? What is a better forum than the House Committee on Armed Services? But we were not allowed to discuss it due to a technicality. Other committees, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, they adopted three amendments in the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on a bipartisan basis, but somehow all those amendments were struck before the bill got to the floor. So the process has been an abomination. Not only did our chairman not consult the ranking member of this committee in formulating H.R. 10, the process has ignored weapons of mass destruction, has struck bipartisan amendments that were reached in other committees. That is not the right way to reform intelligence in this country. The right way, I would suggest, is the way the other body did it, by working together in a calm and bipartisan fashion to achieve consensus such as a consensus they achieved yesterday with a 96-2 vote, complete unanimity among the Republicans, in agreement with the White House, but that, sadly, is not what we have on this side of the Capitol. So I would urge my colleagues, in the strongest possible terms, support the Menendez amendment. Oppose H.R. 10, and do the right thing for our country.

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman, during floor debate on H.R. 10, Mr. Weldon referred to me as being ``untruthful'' regarding two matters: (a) White House support for, as I described it during the debate, ``basically the Collins-Lieberman bill; the closest thing to which we will be able to discuss is the Menendez substitute'', and (b) my description during the Armed Services Committee markup of H.R. 10 of a voice vote on an amendment I offered in another committee, the Government Reform Committee. As I stated during the floor debate, but I was unsure the official reporter heard, since Mr. Weldon refused to yield time to me, I felt strongly Mr. Weldon was mistaken in his characterization. (a) What is the White House's position? According to the White House's Statement of Administration Policy of Sept. 28, 2004, ``the Administration supports Senate passage of S. 2845 (the Collins- Lieberman bill).'' Since the Rules Committee did not allow the Collins- Lieberman bill to be voted on by the House, the Menendez substitute was the closest approximation of the Collins-Lieberman legislation. In fact, as described by the Rules Committee, the Menendez substitute ``merges two bills endorsed by the 9/11 Commission: Collins-Lieberman (S. 2845) . . . and McCain/Lieberman (S. 2774). . . .'' (b) What happened in the Government Reform Committee? The draft transcript of the Government Reform markup of Sept. 29, 2004 includes the following statement from Chairman Tom Davis on my amendment, ``In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it. I will ask for a rollcall on that.'' Later in the Government Reform markup, when I asked Chairman Davis for his recollection of the voice vote, he said, as reported in the draft transcript, ``Let the record show the ayes had it at the time, but I had the right to request a rollcall . . .'' In summary, it is clear from the record that the White House supports S. 2845, and that a voice vote in my favor occurred in the Government Reform Committee.

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support to this important resolution honoring the Veterans of Foreign Wars on its 105th anniversary. I was proud to introduce this resolution with Mr. Cole of Oklahoma, and I want to express my thanks to the distinguished chairman and ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for helping move it quickly to the floor. In the wake of the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection, thousands of wounded veterans returned from war to find that there were no healthcare benefits or pensions provided for them. So, as people in the military do, they banded together to work as a team to provide care for each other by starting the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. This believe in service to fellow veterans is the core value of the VFW, and it continues this tradition today. The VFW now serves more than 2\1/2\ million American heroes who answered the call when the Nation needed them. For 105 years, the VFW has fought for increasing veterans' benefit, improving veterans' healthcare, and ensuring that America's veterans receive the recognition they deserve for their service. The VFW continues to live up to its motto every day--honoring the dead by helping the living. I am proud that the House is passing a resolution honoring such an effective and dedicated advocate for our Nation's veterans. I am also proud that this year the Veterans of Foreign Wars will be held by a son of Tennessee and a Nashville native: VFW Commander-in- Chief John Furgess. John fought for his country in Vietnam as a young man, and when he returned he continued to serve by working for the Veterans Administration for 20 years. Over the course of his distinguished career in the VA and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, John has helped thousands of veterans get the benefits they have earned and the care they deserve. John's dedication to his country and his fellow veterans is a model for all Americans, and I look forward to seeing the VFW flourish under his leadership in the coming year. Finally, as we look back on the 105-year record of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, it is also important to look forward. I am also proud that in congratulating the veterans of Foreign Wars we are also honoring our Nation's future veterans--the troops engaged in combat overseas today in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. The brave men and women of our Armed Forces put their lives on the line for all Americans, most of whom they have never met. There is no higher expression of selfless service than the willingness to risk one's life for others, and for the ideals that this country holds dear. The troops on the front line today--who are tomorrow's veterans--deserve our repeated thanks for serving the Nation.

Mr. COOPER

Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 will never in the history of our nation be forgotten. While much of the country stood paralyzed by shock and grief, the horrifying events of that day were, for others, a call to action. One of those who heeded this call was LCpl Steven Charles Tyler Cates of Mt. Juliet, TN. Just eight days after September 11th, Tyler Cates walked into his local military recruiting office and said he was there to serve. He became a Marine. Long before that day, Tyler's belief in service to others had marked his life. An Eagle Scout, his family said he had always reached out to those around him when they needed some support. ``He was a true Boy Scout,'' his stepfather, Philip Shaw told a reporter from the Tennessean last week. ``He was trustworthy; he'd go an extra mile for his friends.'' I am honored today to pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery and patriotism of this selfless young man. Lance Corporal Cates died in service to his country in Western Iraq last week. He was fighting to help those he recognized as less fortunate than himself, fighting to bring the freedom and liberty that he so treasured to others so far from his home in Middle Tennessee. His mother said it was simply his nature to serve. When Tyler told her he had joined the Marines, Patricia Shaw said she was worried but not surprised. ``He said, `I need to do this, Mom,' '' Mrs. Shaw said. ``That boy brought such patriotism into my life like no one else. He touched everybody he came in contact with because of his charisma. He had a good heart.'' His father, Steve Cates, described Tyler as his pal, his best friend and an inspiring patriot. ``He loved America. He wanted to defend his country and wanted to go over and give them what we have.'' Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise here in the U.S. Capitol--the symbol of freedom to so many around the world--to salute Lance Corporal Cates for his dedication to all this building and this country stand for. Even standing here, in this great chamber, nothing we say or do can adequately thank Tyler and his family for the sacrifice he made. My heart goes out to his wife Lisa, his mother and stepfather, his father, brother, three sisters and grandparents. He will be missed by each of them, as well as his many friends in Mt. Juliet and Middle Tennessee. Yet his sacrifice and love of country will not be forgotten. It will live on, inspiring us to recognize and protect the liberty that Tyler believed in, and each of us holds so dear.