Jim Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman). (Mr. SHERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, this is a very important amendment. It has the potential to derail the bill. We have seen through that masquerade all night. I think the House deserves a substantive debate on the merits, and we have had it, except we have not even had an attempt by the sponsor of the amendment to respond to two of the most important points made here. We all understand when we are passing blatant unconstitutional bills. Nobody needs a law degree to recognize that. There was not even an attempt to respond to the argument by the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) that we are criminalizing behavior that is currently legal. There has been no attempt to respond to the point that it is terribly impractical for us to even be thinking about passing a bill that is supposed to take effect today when we all know rules have to be developed and that the President has not even weighed in on this bill. This has been a very good debate. It has exposed this amendment for what it is. It is a thinly veiled attempt to sabotage a bill that is demonstrating a lot of courage on the Republican side of the aisle for true reform, matching the efforts of the Democrats have been leading for years. Let us defeat this amendment and pass this bill tonight.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Adela Gonzmart, the matriarch of Ybor City's famed Columbia Restaurant, who will long be remembered across the State of Florida and the nation for her compassion for others and her efforts to preserve the vibrant culture of Tampa and Ybor City. As a child prodigy on the piano, Adela nurtured her talent and soon became a concert pianist, traveling with her husband across the world to share their music. In 1953, the Gonzmarts returned to Tampa and soon took over operation of Adela's father's restaurant, the Columbia. The Gonzmarts turned the Columbia Restaurant into a successful enterprise and used the family business as a means to contribute to the Ybor community. Adela and her husband hosted countless charity fundraisers at the Columbia and served as patrons for the Tampa art community. Adela helped form the Tampa Symphony Orchestra, now the Florida Symphony Orchestra, and organized the Ballet Folklorico of Ybor City, a dance company inspired by Ybor's Cuban, Spanish and Italian culture. However, Adela was best known for her enormous heart. Adela never met a stranger and anyone who stepped foot into her restaurant could not help but feel like family. She loved sharing stories of her family and their Spanish and Cuban heritage. Adela's devotion to her community, her two sons and, and her eight grandchildren is an inspiration to us all. Monsignor Lawrence Higgins, who presided over Adela's funeral, described her as ``the queen of Ybor City and all the town.'' I can think of no better tribute. Tampa has truly lost a piece of its rich history in the passing of Adela Gonzmart. On behalf of the people of Tampa Bay, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to Adela's family. Adela was, and will continue to be, larger than life to all of us who knew her, deeply cared for her, and respected her. Thankfully, her legacy will flourish with her sons, Richard and Casey, and their families as they build upon their proud family tradition of operating the Columbia Restaurant and serving our community and State in countless ways.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Dr. Richard Hodes, a physician and former leader in the Florida legislature who used his multitude of personal and professional talents to improve Florida's health care system and make Florida a better place for all of us. During Dick's 16 years of service in the Florida House of Representatives, he always sought opportunities to contribute as a champion of education and health reforms. As chairman of the House Health and Rehabilitation Services Committee, then Speaker pro tem and majority leader, Dick used his expertise as a physician and his prowess as a legislator, most notably, to help fashion Florida's Medicaid legislation and streamline the State's health, institutional, and welfare services in Florida. Dick's work was not overlooked. In 1970 he was the recipient of the Florida Jaycees Good Government Award and the St. Petersburg Times nominated him four times as the Most Valuable Member of the House. Dick was even elected President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Outside of the legislature, Dick's contributions to the medical community were countless. He operated his own private practice in Tampa for nearly 40 years and served as Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of South Florida's College of Medicine and former President of the Florida Medical Association, the Hillsborough County Medical Association and the Florida Society of Anesthesiologists. Local Hillsborough County residents benefitted from his insight every week for 20 years when they tuned into his program on WEDU television. Dick was the model citizen: a tireless worker, a highly successful doctor and public servant dedicated to the people he served. He was soft spoken while holding firm, heartfelt views about the major issues he tackled. Dick is an inspiration for generations of leaders to come and he will be solely missed not just by his family and many, many friends, but by all of us.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the conference report and want to highlight two points in particular from the conference report. The first is that this bill authorizes for the first time a proposal that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and myself introduced a couple of years ago called the Transition to Teaching Act which provides a financial incentive for people to consider making a midlife career change into teaching, subject to the same rigorous standards that anybody has to meet to be certified as a teacher in a State. This bill will authorize up to $150 million for that program. Universities, colleges of education, school districts can team up with the private sector to provide this way to deal with our growing crisis in this country as we face the need for over 160,000 new school teachers in my State alone, Florida, and 2.2 million nationally. The second thing I want to highlight about this bill has to do with the standardized testing section. I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), and Senator Kennedy for working hard to include in the reporting language the requirement that testing provide diagnostic value. By that, I mean that when a child is subjected to a standardized test, as that child's parent, if my son is not doing well in fourth grade math, I want to know what the problem is; and most importantly, I want to know how to fix it. The reporting language in this bill says that a State should take that testing information, should share it with teachers, share it with principals, share it with parents, share it with students so they understand what the problem is and how to fix it, because that is the purpose of testing. Please do not let happen to your State what has happened to my wonderful State, Florida. The politicians have hijacked standardized testing in Florida. It is a crime in my State to share the content of the test or the test results with a parent, a teacher or principal. That is a crime in and of itself. Testing should be used to help teachers teach, children learn, and parents take responsibility for their children's education. Let us do standardized testing the right way. It should have diagnostic value. That should be the principal purpose of testing. This bill provides a model for those States that are going to develop standardized testing and hopefully a first step towards getting States like mine back on the right track.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I rise today in support of the conference report on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). I commend Chairman Boehner and Ranking Member George Miller for their commitment to our students in working to ensure the development of a strong law to govern our schools. The bill before us today will ensure that all children have an opportunity to learn and that we will not tolerate the failure of our poorest students. For the first time, we have established clear goals and a timeline for narrowing the achievement gap between disadvantaged children and their more affluent peers and between minority and non-minority students. I would also like to point out that this bill provides a significant increase in funding levels for ESEA programs. This bill provides our appropriators with the authority to increase education funding by 20 percent for the next fiscal year. This a great achievement for which I again applaud Mr. Boehner and Mr. Miller. Today, however, I would like to focus on two matters that I have spent a significant amount time pushing for. First, I would like to talk about the need to recruit and train qualified teachers, which is addressed in H.R. 1. As we all know, we are approaching an education crisis in our country. Over the next decade, school districts throughout the country will need to hire 2 million new teachers. In my home, Hillsborough Country, Florida, our school district needs to hire more than 7,000 new teachers over the next decade. To meet this need, talented Americans of all ages should be recruited to become successful, qualified teachers. We need to find creative ways to address the critical shortage of teachers that our school districts are facing. For that reason, my colleague from Indiana, Tim Roemer, and I, passed legislation in the 106th Congress, the Transition to Teaching Act, to target mid-career professionals who are looking for a career change and want to be a teacher. The Transition to Teaching program will help move people from the boardroom to the classroom, from the firehouse to the schoolhouse or from the police station on Main Street to the classroom on Main Street. During the last Congress, we were successful in getting a temporary authorization for this program and small amount of initial funding. I am pleased today that the Conference Report to H.R. 1 provides permanent authorization for their very valuable program. In addition, this bill provides a significant increase in funding for the Transition to Teaching program. Under this bill, our appropriators will be able to provide $150 million to help us recruit new, qualified teachers under this program for Fiscal Year 2002. While this is only the one step in helping our schools deal with the teacher crisis over the next decade, it is a significant step in the right direction. Now, I would like to address student testing. At the beginning of this year, I got an earful from parents, teachers and students who are concerned that standardized educational testing in Florida has run amuck. When the House considered H.R. 1 earlier this year, I rose on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Florida public school students subjected to these tests and expressed my concerns that the principal purpose of testing should be diagnostic--to help teachers teach and students learn. I had previously expressed my concerns on this issue to the Secretary of Education and the President's Chief Advisor on his education proposal. Both of them said they agreed with me. Testing should determine where my child is at the beginning of the school year and what he needs to work on to get where he should be at the end of that school year. Testing should tell my child, his teacher, my wife and me what we need to know to help him improve as a student. As many of you know, Florida is already testing students in grades three through eight in reading and math. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) also tests writing in grades four, eight and ten. Unfortunately, as I stated above, the purpose of the FCAT is to grade our schools and implement high stakes penalties or rewards based on their scores, not to see where our students need help to boost their performance. That's right. Under the FCAT, teachers, principals, parents and students get no information from the test identifying the needs of individual students and how to help them improve. Therefore, it was important that the federal law provide some direction on this matter. The original House bill was silent on this issue. However, I am very pleased that the Conference Report before us today is no longer silent on the need for diagnostic testing of our students. This bill contains a reporting requirement that requires our schools to produce individual student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports. This new requirement will ensure that our parents, teachers, and principals will know and be able to address the specific academic needs of students. More importantly, this new requirement will ensure that as soon as is practicably possible after the test is given, this diagnostic information will be provided in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand. With the diagnostic provisions included in this Conference Report, we will give our teachers the tools they need to teach and to make sure that our students are learning. I commend the House conferees for fighting for this very important student centered testing. I look forward to our states, including Florida, making the necessary changes under this new law. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to adopt the Conference Report to H.R. 1, which is truly a bipartisan effort. This is a significant step in the right direction to make sure that our public schools continue on the right track.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at stake on Election Day was not just the selection of Al Gore or George W. Bush as President of the United States. What was at stake was the legitimacy of the process by which we made that choice. The bitter truth is that in Florida, my home State, the margin of error exceeded the margin of victory. Our fragile and somewhat faulty election system collapsed under the weight of the most closely contested presidential election in my lifetime. The ultimate tragedy was that one year ago today when the Supreme Court effectively ended the recount, many Americans who voted on the losing side of that race had lost confidence in the legitimacy of the process. My State, Florida, as well as many other States, has been through as much soul searching on this problem and how to avoid repeating it than probably any State in the country. We came to some clear conclusions that were adopted in a State law that was enacted in Florida earlier this year. The crux of that solution, which is addressed in this bill today, is to replace the punch card machine with a technology that allows the voter the opportunity to verify that his or her vote is both complete and accurate. This bill authorizes $400 million to Florida and States across the country to make that change. At a time in which the economy is dipping and State and local revenue is at a shortage, it is more important than ever that we adopt this bill and appropriate the entire $2.65 billion not just to replace the punch card machine but to educate voters, to train and recruit poll workers so that what happened in Florida will never happen again throughout the entire country. And when we have the next election for President or any election, regardless of how people vote, they will have confidence in the legitimacy of the process by which we as a democracy select our leaders.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the sponsor of the resolution.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for presenting the bill and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) on bringing this bill before our body. I would like to just add my personal 2 cents here. The professionalism of the Capitol Police is above any that any of us I think have ever seen in State and local law enforcement throughout the country. Normally their job, until September 11, has involved balancing the tremendous public access to this building, and the people that work in it, against security. It requires a remarkable level of patience, charm, and very watchful eyes. But since September 11, what I particularly want to commend the Capitol Police for is the tremendous level of flawless security they provide this facility that has given each of us the peace of mind that our constituents have expected us to have to do our very best work. So I would like to join my colleagues in urging adoption of the resolution.

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

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. At the risk of repeating some of the comments that the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) has stated, let me also join him to say I am delighted at this appointment. Ms. Patricia Stonesifer has distinguished herself in a variety of fields. She brings a combination of skills to the Smithsonian Institute. As has been previously alluded to her, in her capacity as Cochair and President of the Gates Foundation, she focused on improving global health throughout the world. She has also served on the Board of the Vaccine Fund, established in 1999, to address the dire need to combat preventible disease in the world's poorest countries. As the gentleman mentioned, she brings considerable expertise in the private sector, which, combined with her philanthropic work, will make her a very welcome addition to this board.

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

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3005, the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act (``TPA''), which will open up new markets for our businesses here in the United States. This bill is about breaking down trade barriers abroad and expanding opportunities for American workers. This legislation recognizes the reality of today's global economy and equips our country with the tools necessary to maintain America's leadership throughout the world. I would be remiss if I did not voice my concern about the timing of today's debate. At times like this, we must work together. Yet for a number of understandable reasons, this bill is far from enjoying bi- partisan support. Nevertheless, I do not control the agenda; thus, here we are debating the bill without the fullest support it could enjoy. The evolving nature of the trade debate is evident. Instead of discussing whether to address labor and environmental issues in the text of TPA and future trade agreements, Congress is discussing how to address these concerns. I believe this bill has taken a giant step forward since the last floor vote in 1998. While not perfect, for the first time ever in a TPA bill labor and environmental standards will receive parity in enforcement alongside subjects covered in trade agreements such as foreign investment and intellectual property. This is in stark contrast to the Archer TPA bill which called for preventing countries from weakening labor and environmental standards to attract investment but was silent on enforcement. Clearly, H.R. 3005 moves the trade debate forward. Mr. Speaker, the simple fact that 96 percent of the world's consumers live outside of our borders is irrefutable evidence that in order to grow our economy, we must grow our exports. Hence, international trade is critical to our nation's continued economic expansion. An estimated 12 million jobs in the United States depend on exports of goods and services. Furthermore, opening markets has created more than 20 million new jobs in the US since 1992. Jobs related to exports generally pay as much as 18 percent more than the national average. Consumers also benefit in the form of affordable prices for many products. In fact, our existing trade agreements provide annual benefits of $1,300 to $2,000 for the average American family of four from the combined effects of lower prices and increased income. Free trade is not exclusively for the giant business conglomerates. Our trade agreements enable small (less than 100 employees) and medium size businesses (less than 500 employees) to compete in international markets. According to the Department of Commerce, in 1998, more than 92 percent of Florida's 22,295 exporting companies were small and medium sized businesses. In the district I represent, 85 percent of exporters are small businesses that employ fewer than 100 employees. Mr. Speaker, international markets are vital to my state's economic well-being. Florida's economy is export-dependent, with export sales of $1,515.00 for every state resident. Florida merchandise and agricultural exports support an estimated 183,700 jobs, while service industry exports support an estimated 364,000 jobs. Last year, in the Tampa Bay area alone, nearly 500 local companies and independent business people profited from approximately $2.6 billion in exports to international markets. My fellow colleagues, we need to pass TPA as soon as possible. Unless we pass TPA, our businesses and workers will be forced to sit on the sideline and watch our global competitors take advantage of free trade agreements. Of the more than 130 free trade agreements (FTAs) in force worldwide, only 3 include our country. One of our main trade competitors, the European Union, has free trade agreements with 27 countries. Mr. Speaker, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) will be virtually impossible to negotiate by 2005 without TPA. The FTAA is setting the stage for significant trade opportunities--particularly, the opportunity to assure that the rules of trade that will be developed are fair and sufficiently advantageous to our country. It is an agreement that will benefit 34 countries, consisting of 800 million people with a combined GDP of $13 trillion. The potential benefits of increased trade with Latin America for our nation and the State of Florida are tremendous. In Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean are our most important markets, accounting for about 80 percent of all exports from the state. Furthermore, over the past three years, eight of the top 10 Florida-origin export destinations were FTAA countries. As for Brazil, one of Florida's largest export destinations, the average Brazilian tariff on U.S. goods is almost 14 percent, compared with under 3 percent for Brazilian products entering the U.S. Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the past, I recognize that increased global competition will put some industries at risk and that with the overwhelming number of winners there will be some losers. We will have to work harder to ensure every American worker can participate in our global economy, and the government has an important role to play in educating, training and retraining today's and tomorrow's workers with the skills they need not just to survive but to prosper in an increasingly global economy. By passing TPA, the Congress is delegating a significant amount of authority to the executive branch. Thus, it is essential that the Congress have a meaningful role during the trade negotiating process, while recognizing the importance of providing flexibility necessary to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to negotiate the best deal possible for America. In the future, I expect the executive branch to work closely with the Congress throughout any trade negotiations as required by this legislation. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, this legislation is critical for the United States. TPA will empower the President to negotiate trade agreements that will open more markets for American goods and services, create jobs, and reduce costs for farmers, workers, consumers, and entrepreneurs. Refusal to pass TPA would put American workers at a disadvantage. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3005.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance of Nancy Ford, a Tampa businesswoman whose legacy in promoting women's rights, supporting the arts and bringing our Tampa Bay community together will not soon be forgotten by the countless friends, family and admirers she has left behind. Nancy's contributions to Tampa Bay women are immeasurable. After breaking through the glass ceiling herself, Nancy helped pave the way for other women. She helped start the Tower Club, Tampa's first private business group to admit women, and she founded the Athena Society and the Florida Women's Network-professional women's networking and leadership organizations. Nancy's accomplishments do not end there. As Chairwoman of the Florida Gulf Symphony's board of directors, member of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and head of the committee that negotiated a merger of the Tampa Philharmonic and the St. Petersburg Symphony, Nancy Ford played a pivotal role in shaping the development of Tampa's art society. Nancy's devotion to her causes has left an indelible mark on Tampa Bay. Through her countless volunteer hours for local charities, her work with University of South Florida's Medical Center and her role as co-founder of the Children's Cancer Center, Nancy made a difference in our community. Nancy Ford's vision and wisdom inspire us not just to do great things but also to develop lasting institutions that will carry on her ideas and work for generations to come. On behalf of the people of Tampa Bay, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to Nancy's family.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution authorizing the President to use military force against those responsible for the horrific acts committed on Tuesday of this week. Mr. President, we are wholeheartedly entrusting you with the most powerful military the world has ever known. We are doing so because we trust him to use this force with certainty, with swiftness, with judiciousness, and firmly, to make it perfectly clear that this country and the world will not tolerate again what happened on Tuesday. Mr. President, I want to encourage you to continue to work closely with Congress. This is not just your travails you face. These are our travails. These are the travails of the entire country. Mr. President, we will work together with you to help you succeed because your success will be our success as a country. There are Members of Congress, Democrat and Republican, who are anxious to work with you to address the very difficult details in terms of the military issues, the diplomatic issues, the economic issues, the judicial issues we all face as we launch into this new stage in fighting terrorism. Mr. President, we support you this evening, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with you. Announcement by the Speaker

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this balanced resolution expressing heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families throughout the United States, as a part of this horrific disaster that happened yesterday, and support for working with the President to take swift and certain action towards those who committed this horrific crime and those who choose to harbor them before or after the fact. Mr. Speaker, my community, the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County, the Tampa Bay area, has suffered some horrific tragedies in the past. We have had three law enforcement officers slain in the line of duty in the last year. We will never forget, I will never forget, the helping hand that was extended to us from across the country from other public safety officials. Today, I would like to say on behalf of my community that we are literally pouring our hearts out to Northern Virginia and New York City. More than 2,000 units of blood have been donated just as of yesterday and that blood is on its way to New York City and Northern Virginia, and we in Florida have a lot of people who have friends and family who have moved from Northern Virginia and New York down to Florida, and this is our family too. I also want to say that I will fully support the President and work closely with him and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to take swift and certain action against those who have perpetrated this indescribable act of inhumanity. We must get to the bottom of exactly who committed this act; we must send the message that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior ever again in a civilized society. We must further understand and have an open and honest debate as to the failures that occurred in our system of security that was designed to provide the peace of mind and freedom that we have taken for granted far too long in this country. We must make amends. We must do our best to restore the freedom and peace of mind that Americans have come to enjoy at the same time that we make it perfectly clear throughout the world that what happened yesterday must never happen again. I urge adoption of the resolution, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, as a Floridian, I wanted to share the painful story about what happened in Florida one more time tonight. Part of the tragedy of the Florida election, which was our country's election, was that the margin of error ultimately exceeded the margin of victory. After the election, one of the painful lessons we learned was that it was widely exposed that we had an inexcusably casual, and, quite arguably, unconstitutional deficiency in our voting election system. Shame on us. Shame on anyone in the position of an elected authority should anything like that ever happen again. Now, as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), and I commend him for offering the amendment, has pointed out, the State of Florida has taken the lead on making illegal the infamous punchcard voting machine and providing partial funding to counties, including the county of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and me, to fund some form of substitute technology. A consensus is developing among Democrats and Republicans here, and I believe around the country, that the solution is a form of technology that is precinct-based and that gives the voter the opportunity to verify his or her vote. In a State and country where we have increasing numbers of voters who are aging, who are experiencing disabilities, be it sight or something else, it is very important, it is fundamental, that that voter has the opportunity to verify his or her vote before they leave the voting booth. I want to close by pointing out why the Hastings amendment is so important. Time is of the essence. If we do not adopt this amendment today, or do something shortly thereafter to take the chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), up on his willingness to fund this, we are going to lose the opportunity to repeat the terrible things that happened in the last election in time for the 2002 elections. So shame on us if we let the next set of elections result in the same problems. Let us get it fixed now. Time is of the essence. We know how to do it.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to Harry Lee Coe III, a loving father, gifted athlete, dedicated judge and life-long public servant of the citizens of Florida. Harry passed away one year ago. Harry was first known in Hillsborough County as a pitcher for the Tampa Tarpons, but he soon built a distinguished law career, serving as a civil lawyer, then as a juvenile court attorney and finally as a criminal court judge. Harry presided over his court for 20 years-- always devoted to serving our community to the best of his ability. On the bench, Harry was known not only for his unique wit and passion, but also for his unwavering integrity and commitment to justice. Some say Harry expected too much of those who came before his bench, but he always demanded the most of himself and worked tirelessly to do his best. While Harry became known as ``Hanging Harry'' for his stringent sentences and his deep conviction to protecting our community from dangerous criminals, he was equally passionate about giving our children the love and support they deserve to prevent the need for such rehabilitation. Much can be said of Harry's dedication to his job, but volumes can be written of his persona outside the court. In all of Harry's years as an elected official he was never branded as a typical politician, for his kind and gentle demeanor with people could never be mistaken for anything other than sincerity. You could always depend on Harry to listen to what you had to say, just as much as you knew that his words were from the heart. I know Harry will be remembered for all these things.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I joined thousands of Floridians in saying goodbye to one of Tampa's finest, Police Officer Lois Marrero, who was struck down when a bank robber opened fire on four pursuing officers. Marrero was Tampa's first female police officer killed in the line of duty, but she will be remembered in Florida for so much more. A devoted officer, Marrero never let her diminutive stature slow her down. Today, her friends and colleagues recalled her feisty spirit, her dedication to the job and as one officer described it, her ``heart that was twice as big as her physical size.'' Marrero, who was just 15 months shy of retirement, impressed her superiors throughout her career for her energy and professionalism. She was praised for her crime fighting efforts in Ybor City's neighborhoods, and as head of the Tampa Police Department's community affairs bureau and gang suppression units, Marrero was credited for cutting back a rash of car thefts that plagued our city in the mid- 1990s. To her friends and family, Marrero will be remembered as a caring person who was always ready to lend a helping hand. In the words of one neighbor, Lois Marrero was ``the kind of person you could count on.'' For those of us who never had the privilege of getting to know Officer Marrero, it is our duty to remember Lois for the ultimate sacrifice that she made to keep our community safe. This terrible tragedy reminds us that law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect us and our families, friends and neighbors. In honoring Lois Marrero, we show our gratitude to the entire law enforcement community. So today, on behalf of the citizens of Tampa Bay, who came together this week in an outpouring of sympathy, prayers and tributes, I thank Officer Marrero and Tampa's Police Department for their commitment to our neighborhoods and I send our deepest sympathies to Lois' family, friends and colleagues for this great loss.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would like to set the context of this amendment because it takes us back a little bit. Last week, we had a debate on the floor of the House of Representatives. It was a very hearty, very democratic debate on the floor about an amendment I offered, along with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough), to prevent the Secretary of the Interior from going forward with issuing any new leases for offshore oil drilling, oil and gas, 17 miles off the coast of Pensacola, some of the most pristine beaches in not just the State of Florida but of the country, and about 200 miles off the coast of Tampa Bay, my home. The House adopted our amendment by a vote of 247, and the bill is now in the Senate where it will be debated there. Unfortunately, the highly esteemed chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan), was in Alabama, with other members of the Alabama delegation traveling with the President, and was not present for the debate. I regret that, and I know he certainly regrets it as well. But the House has done its will and spoke on that particular issue. The reason I rise today to offer this amendment is because the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan) has inserted some language in this particular bill we are debating, which I think is fair to describe as a response to the debate last week. What that language, which I will speak about in more detail in a while, along with other Members both Democrats and Republicans, what that language does is to punish the State of Florida and, I would submit, other States who have a stake in a natural gas pipeline that has already had $800 million spent on it and is due to open in approximately 1 year. The language that the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan) has inserted would basically bring that pipeline to a grinding halt. I think that is an irresponsible position for the House of Representatives to take today. I personally would not want to go home on the 4th of July and have to explain that I had voted for a bill that had that language in it. I do understand the gentleman's point. His point is he wishes he had been here for the debate, and I think he disagrees in the strongest terms with the outcome of the debate last week. But that debate is over, and we are dealing with a new issue today and it is an issue that affects hundreds of workers' lives. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to myself to respond. Mr. Chairman, I am going to stick to the facts today. I think that holds us up to the standard that we should be held up to. First, I am flattered at the notion that I had the chance to control the timing of the debate last week. I wish I had that much influence. It is clear that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough) and I do not. As far as the notice, I regret that the gentleman from Alabama was not aware. The amendment was not filed until the morning of the debate because I had difficulties with the Congressional Budget Office getting an amendment that would not be subject to a point of order, and that is the reason why the amendment only has a 6-month duration for the fiscal year. Mr. Chairman, let me correct something the gentleman from Alabama said. Section 181 is 200 miles, not 270 miles, off the coast of Tampa Bay, my home. That is where I grew up. I remember an oil spill that happened there when I was a child. It was not a rig, it was a barge, but it had the same impact. This is 17 miles from the district that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough) represents, and he can talk about that better than I can.