Shelley Capito

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, seniors throughout West Virginia are learning about potential savings on their prescriptions because of recent reforms to Medicare. No matter what critics may say, it is very easy to find out information about the new prescription drug card. Just ask Ann Brown, one of my constituents. I worked with Ann. We went on line together. And she was able to see very easily what her savings would be by going onto the Medicare.gov website. But Ann is not alone. A senior living in Charleston, West Virginia in a 25304 zip code who takes Fosamax for osteoporosis, Zocor for cholesterol, and Nexium for acid reflux can save $170 a month by using a Medicare-endorsed cards, which is a savings of over $2,000 a year. That is a real savings. Why are they saving? Because the competition and buying power of over 40 million seniors across the country is driving down the cost of prescriptions. Beginning on June 1, seniors will begin to realize these significant savings, and through the Medicare-endorsed prescription drug card, they will see that this benefit is significant, meaningful and hits the bottom line.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Chairman, I want to take this time to thank the members of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, and my co-chairwoman, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter). Her work on this issue has been very valuable, and she has been very aggressive; and I think the result of our hearings are bearing fruit here in this amendment. I would also like to thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for their letting us offer this amendment and also, hopefully, making it a part of the bill. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, Americans are concerned about the welfare of the men and women we send to defend our country. The American people understand that war is violent. What the American people will not tolerate is the assault or rape of a female soldier by a fellow soldier. Simply put, this is unacceptable. Recent reports of sexual assaults of female soldiers serving abroad, along with numerous cases of assaults in or around military bases, clearly demonstrate the need for the Department of Defense to change their approach to this problem. Women are serving in the military, and we are mighty proud of them. Along with my colleagues today, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), we offer this amendment to help the military work through this problem, understand its causes, and put in place measures that will prevent it from happening. The amendment calls for the Secretary of Defense to increase training for officers so they are better equipped to deal with sexual assaults. The amendment calls for a clear and precise protocol that protects privacy and ensures safety and which women can follow to report an attack. The amendment ensures access to the appropriate medical treatment and counseling for women at all times during their service, no matter where they are in the world. This policy is to be put in place by January 1, 2005. Members of both the House and Senate, including my colleagues on the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, have examined this issue, along with the Department of Defense's Task Force on Care For Victims of Sexual Assault. We agree that the action called for in this amendment is beyond necessary to deal with the multiple incidents of sexual assaults in the military. These steps, which are being mirrored in the Senate's version of the legislation, will help the Armed Forces prevent attacks from happening, as well as put proper procedures in place that bring aid and comfort to those who have survived attacks. I am hopeful the action by this Congress will help bring a change in the attitude in the U.S. military. It needs to be made perfectly clear that it is unacceptable to sexually assault a female soldier; and if you choose to make that mistake, you will be held accountable for your actions, no matter who you are, what your rank is, or what condition you serve under. I am in full and hardy support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of association health plans. As we have heard, small businesses pay 17 percent more for their health care than employees of large companies. In a State like West Virginia, where over 90 percent of our business is small business, this is impossible for our small business owners. Over 44 million Americans, sadly, are without health insurance, and more than 60 percent of those are employed by a small business. The high costs small businesses have to bear to provide health care, for what in many cases are just a few employees, prohibits owners from providing affordable health insurance and losing employees at the same time. Through a trade association, like the National Federation of Independent Businesses, small businesses would be allowed to band together, pool their resources, drive down health care costs and gain buying power. Nondiscrimination provisions in the legislation ensure health coverage will be offered to those who need it most, and solvency requirements will make sure that the health plans have the financial resources on hand to cover their employees' needs. Mr. Speaker, during a roundtable I had several weeks ago with small business owners in my district, everyone was concerned about offering health care coverage. Small business owners want to be able to afford this, not only for them as owners but also for their employees. This House has passed this association health plan legislation before. Workers need health care coverage, their children need health care coverage, and small business owners want to offer health care coverage. I urge my colleagues to support association health plans.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak about the medical liability reform bill. Being from a State like West Virginia, we have been in crisis for many years, and I am exceedingly frustrated that we are not able to pass this bill and get it to the President for signature. We have passed this bill seven times, while our colleagues in the other Chamber have not acted on this. As a result, we are a Nation faced with torts gone wild. Mr. Speaker, the medical liability crisis our Nation is faced with is not a recent development. It has been an ever-present problem of varying degrees over the last 3 decades. Some States, like California, have been proactive and enacted tort reforms 3 decades ago. The California reforms, commonly referred to as MICRA, resulted in significantly limiting the increase in medical liability premiums as compared to the rest of the Nation. The other States' premiums have risen over three times as much as those in California. Doctors are retiring, moving, and throwing up their hands in frustration across this land. Access, affordability, and quality of our health care is at stake. Mr. Speaker, some State legislatures have acted recently to change their respective tort law system for medical liability claims. I am proud to say my own State of West Virginia has been a leader in this. However, this much-needed reform is now vulnerable to judicial review and can be ruled unconstitutional. Other States, like Pennsylvania, are specifically prohibited by their State constitution from considering such reforms. Mr. Speaker, this is why a Federal reform is so desperately needed. This reform will defer to State tort law where it is present, but will serve as a backstop for States where the respective State supreme court rules against the new laws. Mr. Speaker, it is time to take control of the health care costs that are spiraling out of control due to a legal system gone wild. Our Nation's health care is at risk.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 250th Anniversary of Hampshire County, West Virginia, which I proudly represent here in Congress. The Virginia General Assembly authorized the creation of Hampshire County effective May 1, 1754, removing the South Branch, Patterson Creek, New Creek, and Capon River valleys from Frederick County, Virginia. It was named after the English county of the same name. Hampshire County was established to provide an accessible local government for citizens on the north side of Cape Capon and Warm Spring Mountain and to more effectively deal with the conflicts stemming from the onset of the French-Indian war. The history of Hampshire County extends longer than that of the United States or the State of West Virginia. The county has undergone several border changes over the years; at one time it included all of present day Mineral, Hardy, and Grant counties, along with portions of Morgan and Pendleton counties, an area extending 2,800 square miles. Today, the county has an area of just over 640 square miles, but continues to grow in population. The county's population grew by 22.5 percent between 1990 and 2000, and currently 20,798 people call Hampshire County home. I am honored to represent Capon Bridge, Mill Creek, Romney, and the other communities of Hampshire County here in Congress. I congratulate Hampshire County on its 250th anniversary and wish the county all the best for the next 250 years.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross), for sponsoring the Regulatory Relief Act of 2003 with me. He has been very instrumental in bringing this much-needed legislation to the floor. I also want to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), and especially the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) for shepherding this bill through the process, it has been a process, and their strong leadership on the committee. With the passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the U.S. PATRIOT Act, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Congress has imposed sweeping reforms and multiple new mandates on the financial services industry. While I firmly believe that these new laws have strengthened this important sector of our economy, such sweeping reforms do not come without a cost, a cost that is ultimately paid for by every American who writes a check, saves for their retirement, or simply purchases groceries with a credit card. The gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross) and I introduced this bill to restore regulatory balance. While Federal regulations play an important role in protecting consumers, instilling confidence and ensuring a level playing field, overregulation can depress innovation, stifle competition, and actually retard our economy's ability to grow. Periodically reviewing and questioning the regulations put into place over time will ensure that as industries and technologies change, so too will the rules that govern them. This bipartisan legislation will roll back several outdated and burdensome mandates while also providing new commonsense provisions that together will benefit the financial services industry and their consumers. To promote efficiency our bill allows the FDIC the flexibility to rely on new technology to store records electronically, streamlines the merger application process, and gives examining agencies the discretion to adjust the exam cycle so their resources can be used most efficiently, among very many other revisions in the regulatory process. We provided enhanced consumer protection by prohibiting a person from working at a bank who has been convicted of a breach of trust and by allowing interagency data sharing to ensure that a lack of information does not result in malfeasance. H.R. 1375 strikes a balance that will help the financial services community thrive, compete, and offer the best services to their customers. Again, I want to thank the ranking member and our chairman and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Baucus) and the other Members for the bipartisan nature of which this bill has been brought to the floor. I urge my colleagues' support.

Ms. CAPITO

Ms. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against domestic violence. Domestic violence encompasses all acts of forceful behavior that one person uses to maintain control over another person. While we are taking steps to eradicate the threat of domestic abuse for women and children, unfortunately the statistics demonstrate the need for more community outreach, funding for prevention programs, and help from Congress. In my home State of West Virginia, there has been a 400 percent increase in the number of domestic violence complaints to our law enforcement agencies. I am committed to stopping violence against women. But women are not the only victims. Many times children are the victims. In our Nation, millions of children, 9 million children, have reported seeing violence in their home. These statistics are just an estimate, 9 million, but I believe one child is one too many. We need to take care of our children and ensure they are safe from violent crimes, particularly in their own homes. With a strong commitment from Members of Congress to work together to decrease domestic violence in our Nation, hopefully we will see a drop in the domestic violence statistics in the years to come.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Van Applegate, a senior at Jefferson County High School in my district. Van, this week, will become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting. The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, which I proudly represent, is home to a great deal of history. Van restored and rededicated the gravesite of Private Luke Quinn, who was killed during John Brown's raid of 1859. Brown's raid was a significant event in our Nation's history, and in the history of eastern West Virginia. Van is to be congratulated for his hard work in restoring this piece of Civil War- era history. Van cleaned the gravestone and installed a Marine Corps flag as part of his project. He then staged a reenactment of Quinn's funeral, drawing nearly 100 residents to take part in the educational event. In addition to scouting, Van is editor of his school newspaper, sports editor of the yearbook, executive producer of the student-run television station, and vice-president of the Jefferson County High Student Government Association. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Van Applegate for his commitment to historical preservation in West Virginia and congratulate him on becoming an Eagle Scout.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Colonel Jesse A. Thomas, the Commander of the 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard based in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Colonel Thomas is retiring after 33 years in our Armed Forces. Colonel Thomas began his military service as a T-37 instructor pilot in 1971. He then joined the West Virginia Air National Guard when he became a C-130 aircraft commander. Colonel Thomas has logged approximately 11,000 flight hours as a command pilot, including 5,000 hours as an instructor. During Operation Desert Shield, Thomas deployed to Europe as an aircrew member and unit commander. He also flew airdrop and air defense missions in Yugoslavia and Central America and Southwest Asia. Mr. Speaker, in our current war on terror, the National Guard has been called upon to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, and thousands of brave men and women have answered that call. I thank all of the men and women of the National Guard who give so much in service to our Nation. Colonel Jesse Thomas, who has dedicated 34 years to the defense of freedom, deserves the respect of all of us in the House, and I thank him for his devoted service to the people of West Virginia and his country.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor George M. Moore, Jr., a resident of my district, for his service and commitment to America's veterans. Mr. Moore has served as Director of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Martinsburg since 1998. In 1999, Moore became the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service Line Director, making him responsible for the management of all prosthetic operations in Martinsburg, WV, Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Previously he has worked with the VA in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Jackson, MS. Moore served our country on active duty as an Air Force fighter pilot in Vietnam. Recently, the Disabled Veterans of America recognized him as their 2003 Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year. All of us in West Virginia and in Congress are proud of the service George Moore has given to our Nation. Both as a soldier himself, and later as a worker for disabled veterans, Moore has distinguished himself as a leader in our Nation's fight for freedom.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the fourth grade class at Polk Creek Elementary School in Weston, West Virginia. These students in Mrs. Mary Wagoner's class recorded a CD entitled ``Thinking of You'' for distribution to the 100 Lewis County, West Virginia, residents serving our country in Iraq. The students performed the songs ``Thinking of You,'' ``Allegiance Rap,'' ``You Are Our Heroes,'' ``The West Virginia Hills,'' ``American Tears'' and ``Mighty United'' for our soldiers. All of us in this House share the sentiments expressed by these students. The men and women serving our country in Iraq are in the thoughts and prayers of us all. Hearing from these school children will improve the morale of our troops and show them they are in the thoughts of people back home. I would like to thank Principal Thomas Garrett, Teacher Mary Wagoner, along with Whitney Ballard and Shaun Davis, for their hard work with the students at Polk Creek Elementary on this project. I am honored to represent the Lewis County community and thank Polk Creek Elementary for their efforts to honor our military personnel.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Shelley Marshall. Mrs. Marshall was a budget analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency who was killed in the attack on the Pentagon. I rise to commend the efforts of her husband, Donn Marshall, to honor her memory. Using his wife's retirement savings and money he expects to receive from the 9-11 Victims Compensation Fund, Donn established the Shelley A. Marshall Foundation. The foundation has held tea parties, one of Shelley's favorite pastimes, for senior citizens and high school students. The Marshall Foundation has also provided resources for story hours in libraries and has held writing and art contests at high schools both in West Virginia and Virginia. Through the foundation, Shelley Marshall will continue to touch the lives of people in need in West Virginia and around the country. I thank Donn Marshall and the couple's children, Drake and Chandler, for their commitment to helping others and for the worthwhile way they have preserved Shelley's memory. The Washington Post wrote an article on January 22, 2004, about the Marshall Foundation, which I include for the Record. [From the Washington Post, Jan. 22, 2004] 9/11 Money Funds a Dream Man Plans Tribute to Wife Lost in Pentagon (By Jacqueline L. Salmon) Shepherdstown, W. Va.--In the tiny townhouse he rents behind an office park, Donn Marshall unfurls an armful of papers on the living room couch. They are plans for a house to be built on land he has purchased nearby. Modeled on an 18th-century Irish country house, it will have bedrooms for Marshall's two children, Drake and Chandler, and room for as many as six guests--everything that Marshall and his wife, Shelley, ever dreamed of. But it will go ahead without her. Shelly Marshall, a Defense Intelligence Agency budget analyst, was among the 184 people who died Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists flew an airplane into the Pentagon. ``I think it should be almost like a monument,'' Marshall said, as he smoothed wrinkles from the house plans. ``In a sense, it's Shelley's money.'' The Marshall family expects to receive about $2 million from the federal fund created to compensate the injured and the families of the 2,976 people killed that day at the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York. Although the money will not take away the grief that has diminished only slightly in 2\1/2\ years, Marshall said it will free him to work full time on the charitable foundation he established in his wife's name--his way of fighting back. The fund, established by Congress to protect the airlines from billion-dollar lawsuits, has reached the family of almost every victim. Fund administrator Kenneth R. Feinberg, a Washington lawyer, said that by last month's final deadline, 2,924 families--98 percent--had surrendered their right to sue the airlines in return for an average award of just under $2 million. But many who took the settlement wrestled with ``survivor's guilt,'' said Larry Shaw, director of Northern Virginia Family Service, whose counselors are working with many families of Pentagon victims. ``They felt that they were benefiting from the loss of someone they loved.'' Shaw said family service counselors tell families that the settlement is part of their recovery process. ``And part of the recovery is being able to fulfill some dreams that you had in your life,'' he said. Shelley Marshall was a woman of passionate and varied interests. She put together family scrapbooks and hosted Victorian-style tea parties with her mother-in-law, Phyllis Marshall. She loved to spot hawks while out walking. Shortly before her death, she had begun to collect kickknacks decorated with dragonflies. On Sept. 11, Shelly and Donn had commuted in separate cars to the Pentagon from their then-home in Charles County, with Donn carrying the children. Together, they said goodbye to Drake and Chandler at the Pentagon day-care center. Then Shelley headed to her office in the southwest wing of the Pentagon, and Donn drove to his Crystal City office, where he also worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Moments after the plane buried itself in the Pentagon, Donn drove back to the blazing structure to search frantically for his family. The children were unharmed. He couldn't find Shelley. Three days later, he got the news that she was dead. The words of a grief counselor who visited him resonated. ``Give your sorrow meaning,'' he urged Marshall. ``It was like he flipped a switch,'' Marshall recalled. With his wife's retirement savings, he set up the Shelley A. Marshall Foundation. He has used the proceeds to organize dozens of intergenerational tea parties for elderly nursing home residents and high school students across the Washington area, where Shelley grew up, and in West Virginia, where his parents live. He has also funded story hours at libraries in both places, set up writing contests at high schools and arranged high school art workshops to reflect the interests of his late wife. In all, the foundation has spent about $60,000 on such events and plans to expand nationwide as well as overseas, where tea enthusiasts in Britain and Moscow are planning offshoots. ``I didn't want [Osama] bind Laden to have the last word on her life,'' Marshall, 39, said. ``She died far too young, and I wanted her to be able to touch people.'' All together, he figures, more than 5,000 people have participated in the foundation's activities. ``We can leave September 11 as a black day in history,'' Donn Marshall told guests at a fundraising tea party at the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton in November, on what would have been Shelley's 40th birthday, ``Or we can look at it as a day when something incredible started--and that's what we're trying to do.'' The foundation work has drawn in family and friends. Shelley's mother, Nancy Farr, makes hundreds of cucumber sandwiches and shortbread for the nursing home parties. The work, Farr said, ``is a blessing. Shelley will always be with us in our hearts, but other people know her because of the foundation.'' Sometimes the work fends off Marshall's loneliness. Sometimes it doesn't. He believes that Shelley is still near. The signs are everywhere. The way the heat in his home clicks on when he asks her for a signal that she's present. A door that blows shut to remind him to take the children's coats to their school on a cold day. A dragonfly balloon from his son's birthday party that drifts into the bedroom and stops by his bed. The signs comfort him--a little. ``I know she's okay and that's huge,'' he said. ``Now I just have to deal with not seeing her for a long time.'' Shelley used to make a pot of tea each night for Donn, and he has taught himself to make tea the way she did. She had collected dozens of different kinds from her favorite tea shops--fragrant Oolongs, delicate ``white'' teas and black teas such as light-bodied Darjeeling and full-flavored Assams--and could recite their characteristics. Last January, Marshall quit his job and moved his family to West Virginia to be closer to his parents in Martinsburg and Shelley's in Herndon. He said the compensation fund should support his family and put the children through college while he works full time on the foundation. His next step is having their house built on 18 acres of woods and meadow that he bought just outside Shepherdstown, a cozy town of 1,500. ``I'm going to get people to come up for the weekend,'' he said. ``We'll have two to three different people at the dinner table, hopefully, on the weekends--my artist friends, politicians. I want a lot of people coming in and interesting the kids with their ideas--I think they should have an extraordinary life after what happened to them.'' When Marshall came out to see the land for the first time, he heard a scream above him and looked up to see a hawk. It circled over his head. ``I said, `Okay, this is the place.'''

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael Gale, an exceptional student in my district in West Virginia, and one of my constituents. Michael was recently awarded one of 12 George Mitchell Scholarships for postgraduate studies at universities in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Michael is the first West Virginia resident ever to receive this prestigious award and will study at the National University of Ireland in Galway. The Mitchell Scholarship was established by an endowment from the Irish Government in 1998 and is administered by the U.S.-Ireland Alliance. The House has supported funding for the Mitchell Scholarship both in 2003 and 2004. The British Government also provides support for this program. I offer my congratulations to Michael Gale, an exceptional young West Virginian, and the other 11 winners of the Mitchell Scholarship and wish them all the best in their studies in Ireland.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my distinguished colleague from Ohio for yielding me the time. I rise in support of the rule and the underlying bill. We have all listened to and viewed the rhetoric surrounding the Medicare prescription drug legislation this week. We have all faced the questions regarding what is in the bill and what is not. There has been a multitude of fallacies about who is covered and who is not. Mr. Speaker, the truth of the matter is this Medicare prescription drug package will grant 40 million Medicare seniors a drug benefit they do not have. I am especially proud of the low-income provisions in this bill. In my home State of West Virginia where our seniors are clamoring for this coverage, fully one-third of the Medicare beneficiaries will only pay up to $5 for prescriptions. This is real savings for those who need it most. The truth is that seniors fortunate enough to have coverage through a previous employer will maintain that benefit. Corporations, small businesses, unions, State and local governments will receive serious help to allow them to continue to offer that benefit. The truth is that in this legislation senior women will now have greater access to more affordable health care. Women live longer than men, with less income and suffer from more chronic illnesses. Disease management and access to a prescription drug benefit will allow women to enhance the quality of life in their senior years. Mr. Speaker, I can handle this truth. West Virginia's seniors can handle this truth. America's seniors can handle this truth. It is time to get past the rhetoric and deliver on a promise we have all made to America's seniors.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together in support of the bipartisan Medicare prescription drug plan. The AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, the largest senior organization in the Nation, has endorsed the plan which will bring relief to 40 million seniors. Immediately, right away, seniors will be able to save up to 25 percent through a prescription discount card. This is a savings never seen before by America's seniors. The plan goes a long way in assisting seniors with low incomes and those who pay a large amount of money for their prescription drugs. Mr. Speaker, this bill has the support of Members of both parties. It has the support of the leading advocate for seniors in the Nation, and will have my support when it passes this body. I urge my colleagues to join me so that we can give our seniors the modern Medicare benefit they deserve.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Barry D. Lutsy, a West Virginia firefighter who was killed in the line of duty on August 13, 2003. Barry Lutsy was a proud member of the Racine Volunteer Fire Department in Boone County, West Virginia for 15 years. Firefighter Lutsy served with pride and dedication in his many roles over time. His dedication to the Department and to the community were commendable and worthy of great respect. Firefighter Lutsy once described his commitment to firefighting by saying, ``I've always tried to help others that needed help, to administer first aid or try to save things precious to them . . . I was very proud of the department of the firefighters in which I trusted and depended upon when we were fighting a fire.'' These words illustrate the spirit and dedication with which Firefighter Lutsy served the citizens of West Virginia. Firefighter Lutsy led an honorable life in which he made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of others. All West Virginians and all Americans owe him a debt of gratitude, and we pledge to honor and respect his life and service always. He leaves behind his wife, Debra, and two sons, Jeremy and Justin. While the death of Barry D. Lutsy leaves a void for his family, friends and all whom he served through the Racine Volunteer Fire Department, those who knew him well are comforted by recalling his many accomplishments during his lifetime of 45 years. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of the life of Firefighter Barry D. Lutsy.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Consolidated Wood Products of Beverly, West Virginia for being awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small- and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, Consolidated Wood Products has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, Consolidated Wood Products has in turn brought benefits to the state that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud Consolidated Wood Products for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of Consolidated Wood Products, and I offer them as an example to small- and medium-sized enterprises everywhere.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of GTR of Gassaway, West Virginia, for being awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, GTR has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, GTR has in turn brought benefits to the state that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud GTR for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of GTR, and I offer them as an example to small and medium sized enterprises everywhere.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Preiser Scientific of St. Albans, West Virginia for being awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, Preiser Scientific has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, Preiser Scientific has in turn brought benefits to the state that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud Preiser Scientific for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of Preiser Scientific, and I offer them as an example to small and medium sized enterprises everywhere.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Spring Creek Natural Foods of Spencer, West Virginia for being awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, Spring Creek Natural Foods has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, Spring Creek Natural Foods has in turn brought benefits to the state that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud Spring Creek Natural Foods for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of Spring Creek Natural Foods, and I offer them as an example to small and medium sized enterprises everywhere.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of The Library Corporation of Inwood, West Virginia for being awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, The Library Corporation has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, The Library Corporation has in turn brought benefits to the state that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud The Library Corporation for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of The Library Corporation, and I offer them as an example to small- and medium-sized enterprises everywhere.

Mr. CAPITO

Mr. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Viking Pools of Jane Lew, awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, Viking Pools has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, Viking Pools has in turn brought benefits to the State that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud Viking Pools for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of Viking Pools, and I offer them as an example to small and medium sized enterprises everywhere.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of HK Casting of Weston, West Virginia for being awarded a 2003 Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of an increased focus on exporting. The Export Achievement Certificate was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new market. As our economy continues to become more global, it is important for industries of all types to develop relationships and ties in the international community. As the West Virginia economy diversifies, HK Casting has taken major steps forward to promote the Mountain State and all it has to offer to the world economy. By making strides to expand opportunities, HK Casting has in turn brought benefits to the state that will be felt far beyond the business itself. I applaud HK Casting for its efforts and look forward to seeing continued success. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of HK Casting, and I offer them as an example to small and medium sized enterprises everywhere.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Kanawha Scales & Systems in Poca, West Virginia to recognize their receiving the 2003 Governor's Award for Excellence in Exporting, and for the tremendous impact they have had on West Virginia's economy. Over the years Kanawha Scales & Systems has steadily evolved from a weighing equipment service company into a fully integrated corporation, providing engineering solutions for a wide variety of systems. Kanawha Scales and Systems has grown to over 200 employees with branch offices and subsidiary companies in twelve different cities throughout the United States. As the company has grown and prospered, a focus on exporting has developed. The company's growth has extended to include custom solutions on an international basis with successful installations in Canada, South America, The People's Republic of China and Australia. Because of the emphasis on exporting and the benefits this brings to West Virginia, Kanawha Scales & Systems has been selected to receive the 2003 Governor's Award for Excellence in Exporting. The awards were established in 1983 and are presented by the Governor and the Export Council of West Virginia to honor companies and business professionals for their leadership and success in the state's exporting efforts. I commend Kanawha Scales & Systems for their commitment to economic growth for West Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of Kanawha Scales & Systems.