Jim Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and urge its defeat. This is a bad bill for my State of Florida. The bill could be made much better, including by an amendment that I have offered, that the Committee on Rules refused to be made in order. This bill, in my judgment, guts the Coastal Zone Management Act. What is this law? This is a law that allows governors, Governor Jeb Bush, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, to have their voices heard as to where a particular facility might be sited. It does not give the State a right to veto the decision, just simply to have its voice heard. What this bill does is undermine that process that has worked very well for decades, and the rule deprives the House of Representatives of an open and honest debate about the fact that this bill is tantamount to repeal of the Coastal Zone Management Act, and I do not think any Member of Congress wants to stand on this floor and admit or agree that we should repeal the Coastal Zone Management Act. We are once again, remarkably, trampling on the rights of our States. We are substituting the judgment of governors with bureaucrats in Washington that are expected to understand our States better in terms of environmental impact, in terms of economic impacts. The beaches on the coast of State of the Florida should be judged and policed by the governor of the State of Florida, not by somebody in an agency in Washington. I urge defeat of the rule.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 91, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 90, had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Sergeant First Class Paul Smith, of Tampa, Florida. Yesterday, President Bush posthumously awarded Sergeant Smith with our nation's highest military honor--the first Medal of Honor awarded to a soldier since 1993. Sergeant Smith always gave his fellow soldiers, his country and his family his very best. But on April 4, 2003, Sergeant Smith showed extraordinary valor when making the ultimate sacrifice for the soldiers whose lives he saved and the values and ideals that have made this country great. Sergeant Smith had always wanted to serve our country as a professional soldier, and when he graduated from Tampa Bay Technical High School at 18, he immediately enlisted in the Army. He went on to serve in the Persian Gulf War, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo before serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Smith was known for holding his soldiers to high standards, but on April 4, 2003, he held himself to the highest standard of all. Sergeant Smith's unit, B Company of the 11th Engineer Battalion was constructing a prisoner holding area at Baghdad Airport when their compound came under attack by nearly 100 Iraqi soldiers. Sergeant Smith immediately organized the unit's defense and risked his own life to hold back the enemy and help move injured soldiers to safety. Despite Sergeant Smith and the unit's efforts, the enemy continued to fire on the compound. When faced with the call of having to pull his troops back, Sergeant Smith chose instead to take an exposed position behind a mounted .50-caliber machine gun and fire through three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded by enemy fire. The official medal citation said Sergeant 1st Class Smith's ``courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith's extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division `Rock of the Marne,' and the United States Army.'' Paul Smith was a loving and devoted father, husband, brother and son. While the Medal of Honor will never fill the enormous hole in hearts of Sergeant Smith's family, this honor signifies our nation's deepest appreciation for Sergeant Smith's heroism and sacrifice. His courage and patriotism will never be forgotten.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, tonight I join millions of Floridians and Americans hoping and praying for Terri and her family at this incredibly difficult time. Terri Schiavo's case is a tragedy we all hope and pray our own families will never go through. And tonight this Congress is about to commit a travesty. I think we can agree the impact of this legislation extends far beyond Terri Schiavo. Tonight, congressional leaders are poised to appoint this Congress as a judge and a jury. These actions are a threat to our democracy. More than 200 years ago, our forefathers designed government with three separate, yet equal, branches. This Congress is about to overturn the separation of powers by disregarding the laws of Florida and the decision of a judge that have never been reversed. This Congress is on the verge of telling States and judges and juries that their laws, their decisions do not matter. Multiple courts have had an opportunity to rule in Terri's case, including the United States Supreme Court, Federal district courts, and the Florida Supreme Court. As Justice Scalia has said himself in end- of-life cases like this, ``The Federal courts have no business in this field. American law has always accorded this power to the States.'' This Congress should respect the law and the rulings of courts and not trample the Constitution. If we do not draw a line in the sand tonight, what limit is there to the democratic principles that this Congress is prepared to violate? What limit is there to the liberties that we might trample upon? For those of us that are Floridians, this is a very painful issue. Not just because we represent many, many people, Democrats, Republicans or people that are not particularly political who have living wills, who have wishes they expect to be honored and not interfered with. We are also deeply saddened because we have been in the middle of this saga for quite some time, and it is very important you know this is just the latest chapter. In 2003, unhappy with the decisions of the court, the Governor and the State legislature in Florida attempted to change the rules that controlled Terri's wishes and to pass what was referred to as Terri's Law, giving Governor Bush the authority to reinsert the feeding tube. The Florida Supreme Court ruled that law unconstitutional, and the United States Supreme Court refused to hear Governor Bush's appeal. Last week, the Florida legislature and the Governor attempted yet a second time to change the rules that would cover the enforcement of what was found to be Terri's wishes. For the good of Floridians, for the good of the country, after the House had passed the bill and the Governor continued to pursue it, very courageous members of the Florida senate and the Florida house, on both sides, Democrats and Republicans, refused to make the same mistake a second time. One of the top Republicans in the Florida house said, ``The legislature should stay out of family court issues.'' The State legislation that failed in the State senate died when some of the leading Republican Senators said, ``We cannot and should not sacrifice our oaths as political officers on the altar of political convenience.'' These were State legislators recognizing the limits of their power. Here tonight in the United States Congress, will we recognize the appropriate limits of our power? Leading the charge in this debate are several physicians who are Members of Congress. I think it is fair to say none of them have examined Terri Schiavo. I seriously doubt any of them had a chance to review the medical records. Instead, many of them, many Members of Congress, are forced to rely upon a videotape that is several years old that does not begin to tell the story. Let us keep in mind neither this House nor Senate has had a single hearing, has heard from a single witness, has provided any meaningful opportunity for the public to participate in this very important debate. The bill under consideration tonight essentially does one thing: it starts the process all over again with a different judge, an attempt to achieve a different result, a different finding as to Terri's wishes or simply to delay the enforcement of her wishes. It has been described by the chairman of the committee that what this bill does, if I heard him correctly, is to provide an opportunity for Terri's parents to assert their rights under the United States Constitution. They have always had that right. They had that right in State court. They had that right in Federal court. They had that right in the United States Supreme Court, which turned down the appeal. This bill does not create any new rights. It simply creates a new judge in an attempt to achieve a different result or to delay a different decision. One of the chief Senate sponsors of the bill said earlier today that the purpose and the effect of the bill in his judgment was to cause the Federal judge who will hear this case to reinsert the tube. Before we vote tonight, I would like to ask the Members to ask one question of themselves. If this were their family, if they some day, and I hope they do not and I hope I do not, find themselves in this tragic situation, one of the most tragic we will ever experience in our lives, and they and their wife had come to a conclusion about what they want as a couple or individually as to how they end their life, how would they feel if elected officials they had never met who did not know them thought their judgment was superior to theirs? How would they feel if that affected them and their spouse? I have followed this case for years. My views tonight are the same as they have been always. This case is about Terri's will as interpreted by the courts, God's will, and it should not be about the will of the United States Congress. Sadly, regardless of what this Congress does tonight, everyone may lose. Terri's husband may lose his wife. Their parents may lose a daughter. My hearts and prayers go out to Terri and her family.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Madame Speaker, today, I rise before this House as a sad Floridian. Along with millions of Americans, I am hoping and praying for the best for Terri Schiavo and her family. Fifteen years ago, Terri and her family had so many things in life to look forward to. Never in their wildest dreams would they be able to foresee the tragic events that would raise a conflict so heated that the federal government would reach into their lives and alter their future. As Terri's family works through their differences in court, one of the few things that could make this terrible situation worse is for Congress to turn this family's case into a political football. But today, that is exactly what Congress is doing and it is exactly what the Florida Legislature is doing as well. There are already laws in place dealing with both the guardianship rights granted to spouses under marriage and the terrible end-of-life choices that so many families must make. Since the beginning of our nation, our federal and state constitutions have provided the judicial branch the authority to determine if these laws are being fairly applied. If the laws governing end-of-life cases needs to be improved, the Florida Legislature and Governor should have an open, honest debate about the issue and how any problems can be fixed for all families who struggle with these tough choices. The U.S. House Republican Leadership only made the situation worse by refusing to hold hearings and bringing this bill to the floor before my colleagues have even learned who Terri Schaivo, her husband and her family are, let alone the impact of the bill on other families. In what only can be described as a stunning abuse of power, with little debate and zero respect for families, Congress is about to set a precedent that could strip every spouse of the right to make end-of- life decisions for his or her spouse. So today, I have to ask my colleagues, ``Do YOU think Congress is better suited to make an end-of-life decision for your spouse?'' I've spoken to a lot of my fellow Floridians about this tragic situation, but I don't think any of them have a Living Will in place that states ``I want the politicians in Washington or Tallahassee to make decisions for me.'' With every fiber of my being, I oppose this legislation. Congress' job is to fix problems with the law for all Americans. If Congress intervenes in this family matter, where will they stop? Sadly, regardless of what we do today, no one wins. A husband may lose his wife and parents may lose their daughter. My heart and prayers go out to Terri and her family.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise before this House as a proud Floridian. Over this past year the people if my home State have demonstrated an amazing amount of tenacity and the ability to help each other in their great time of need. Yes, it has been quite a few months since the Hurricane season of 2004 ravaged us, but the sight of blue tarps replacing roofs on homes and piles of debris are still all too rampant--and in only 12 weeks the Hurricane season of 2005 will be upon us. I am pleased to stand before this chamber in support of Congressman Foley's effort to ease the pain for those who were affected by the tragic events of this last hurricane season. Sadly, the reality of these kinds of natural disasters is that many businesses never reopen and unemployment remains high long after the storms have gone. The Florida tourism industry is still very bruised because of canceled seasons and slower recovery times in certain areas of the State. By exempting hazard mitigation grants from being considered personal income for tax purposes, we are easing the path to recovery for a large number of Floridians. While this legislation won't remove all of the obstacles that these storms have put in our way, it certainty will be a useful tool in the effort to fully recover.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I, too, as a fellow Floridian would like to pay tribute tonight to my friend, Tillie Fowler. Tillie was a role model, not just for the women who followed in her footsteps, but for all of us who attempt to represent our communities and our Nation with dignity and respect. Through hard work and perseverance, Tillie was a true trail-blazer, one of five women in her class of 106 from Emory University's law school. She was the first female president of the Jacksonville City Council. As we recounted here tonight, in her 8 years in Congress, Tillie rose to the highest rungs of power in the United States Congress in the Republican Caucus. But, in my opinion, what made Tillie so powerful and so special was not the positions that she held, it was the fact that she never lost sight of who she was here to serve. She never forgot where she came from. She relentlessly fought for the people she represented. She served the country. She served her community. It was not just Tillie's resume that was impressive; it was her firm stance on the issues. When Tillie dug in, she dug in. She stood her ground. But she always treated everybody with respect. Regardless of whether they agreed with her or not, she always listened. She treated folks at home that way. She treated everybody that way, including Members of Congress. And Tillie always kept her word. Probably one of the most difficult tests for Tillie was her decision to honor her 8-year term limit pledge. She was a person of her word. Regrettably, this Congress lost her much too soon. We have lost her much too soon on this earth. Tip O'Neill once said, the sign of a successful politician is, from the time they start to when they finish their career, they have the same spouse, same home, same set of friends. He could have been talking about Tillie Fowler. Tillie was the same person from the day she was an adult to the day she left Congress. She never forgot who she was. Tillie was also one of those rare Members of Congress whose service to the country and to the world only grew after she left the United States Congress. As has been recounted here tonight, she served on the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee. She took charge of some very serious investigations about potential sexual abuse, about sexual misconduct, about prisoner abuse. Tillie has been called, by many people here tonight and in the past and she will continue to be referred to as truly a steel magnolia. She was a powerful, delicate balance of grace and strength. She was fair in pursuing her goals, but always friendly, always warm, always caring, always time for a gentle word to a friend or colleague. For these reasons, Floridians will always treasure, we will always appreciate, we will never forget the legacy of Tillie Fowler. On behalf of my community, the Tampa Bay area, Tillie, thanks for your service. Thanks for being who you were. Thanks for the power of your example. And to your husband, Buck, and to your daughters, thank you for sharing a precious amount of the too short life of your mother and your wife here with us in the United States Congress.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Homer Caddell ``Cal'' Henderson Jr., who is retiring today after 12 years of loyal service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida. Cal dedicated his life to keeping our community safe. At 21, Cal began his law enforcement career in the Tampa Police Department, and he went on to serve the U.S. Border Patrol and the CIA as a national police trainer in Vietnam. In 1969, when Cal returned home to Tampa, he joined the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. During his 35 years in the Sheriff's Office, Cal Henderson experienced a period of enormous growth and development in Hillsborough County. The year Cal joined the force, the Sheriff's Office employed 157 deputies serving a mostly rural area. In fact, at that time, Cal was the only deputy working in his region of eastern Hillsborough. Today, as Sheriff Henderson retires, his office employs 1,200 deputies, 950 sworn detention officers and 1,000 civilians, and the territory that he once patrolled alone is now served by as many as 12 deputies. Cal Henderson worked his way through the ranks of the Sheriff's office, and he was able to do it while adapting to colossal changes in the needs of our community. Following the September 11 tragedies, Sheriff Henderson recognized the need to coordinate the efforts of our region's first responders, and he spearheaded the Tampa Bay Regional Domestic Security Task Force. A model for communities nationwide, the task force brings together fire fighters, EMS, hospital, port, police and sheriff and other officers to streamline efforts to keep our region safe. Fortunately for the people of Hillsborough County, Sheriff Henderson is leaving us well equipped for the transition to new leadership under incoming Sheriff David Gee. And while Cal may be hanging up his Sheriff's badge, we can rest assured that he will continue his service to our community. Cal has already indicated that while taking advantage of some well deserved rest in retirement, he is also planning to assist the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention on issues pertaining to missing and exploited children. Hillsborough County has truly been blessed to have Sheriff Cal Henderson as a faithful public servant. Cal has served with honor and integrity and has always shown the highest respect for those he serves. On behalf of our community, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for his commitment and my best wishes for his retirement.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report for the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Implementation Act. This important legislation implements most of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. In addition to reorganizing our intelligence agencies, it also institutes reforms in a broad range of other national security areas, including border security, aviation security, maritime security, emergency responders, public diplomacy, and law enforcement. While I am pleased that a compromise has been reached, this body should have acted long ago. It has been four months since the 9/11 Commission issued its recommendations. If we are to minimize the possibility of another 9/11, we must do a better job of working together in a bi-partisan manner. This body represents all Americans-- Republicans and Democrats alike. Nevertheless, this long-delayed conference report includes numerous provisions to make America safer and more secure. As recommended by the 9/11 Commission, the conference report creates a strong Director of National Intelligence (DNI), who will head the Intelligence community and its 15 agencies. The Director will serve as the principal intelligence adviser to the President; and direct the implementation of the National Intelligence Program. Furthermore, the conference report establishes a National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) within the Office of DNI to coordinate and unify all elements of counterterrorism operations planning. Lastly, I am happy to see the inclusion of numerous provisions that are designed to improve the Nation's aviation, maritime and border security and enhance terrorism prevention. The bill will also establish an independent Privacy and Civil Liberties Board that will be granted access to all government agencies to review policies and practices and will be led by a Chair and Vice Chair confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Speaker, no bill is perfect and perhaps in the future some modifications will be necessary. We may also need to address things this bill does not include in the future. However, this is the best compromise we have at the moment, and time is of the essence. I support this legislation.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me and appreciate the chance to join my colleagues. The voters have spoken. They have elected us to return to Washington to get the job done. And one of the first things we are getting ready to do is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing. We are getting ready to charge to future generations this massive expenditure that we are enjoying the benefits of and ought to be paying for ourselves. One of the things I would like to add to what has been discussed here tonight is folks at home say to me, Jim, what does this mean to me? These are a lot of numbers. This sounds like a fight about people in Washington. Where do I fit into this? And one of the ways, I think, to sum this up is that today, because of the reckless spending habits and reckless decisions on tax cuts without regard to the debt and deficit, each American's share of the Federal debt today is $25,000. $25,000. Every American in this country, Democrat, Republican, man, woman, child, grandfather, grandchild, $25,000 each. So instead of facing up to this fact and having a debate about how we develop a roadmap to pay-as-you-go as the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) has been advocating with the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), we are going to bury deep in a bill, try to hide from the public, try to pretend this does not exist. And in my State, Florida, and in the States we all represent, these historically low interest rates are going to come to a screeching halt. We have been warned by all the experts that it is inevitable that interest rates are going to begin to rise. In my community where people have a mortgage on a home, they are trying to pay a student loan, they have got credit card debt, this is going to be taking money out of their pockets, not to mention the horrific interest payments we are now paying, I think $157 billion in interest we have paid in the last fiscal year or so, money that we could be spending for tax cuts to help everybody, money we could be spending to make sure our troops are better armed in Iraq and we take care of them and their families when they come home. So I want to salute my colleagues for calling attention to this compelling detail. It is our job to make sure that the country knows that even if someone tries to hide this in a bill, this debt limit is going up to historic proportions and we need to stop it as soon as we can. Madam Speaker, as this body considers another federal debt limit increase, I rise with a warning for my colleagues and the people we represent back at home. For the third time since President Bush took office, Congress is preparing to drive our country further into debt with no road map to get our nation back on track to balanced budgets. If Congress doesn't change course, this fiscal recklessness will begin to eat away at America's economic prosperity and leave a legacy of financial hardship for future generations. Madam Speaker, this Congress has talked a lot about family values, but where I grew up, bankrupting our children and grandchildren's future doesn't count as a family value. Today, as parents across our nation are working hard to save money for their children's college education, the federal government has run up a $7.4 trillion bill, and they are expecting our kids to pick up the tab. That's more than $25,000 worth of debt per American resident--a tremendous burden to place on the backs of future generations. According to the Congressional Budget Office, if we stay on this path, the debt held by the public will reach $13 trillion by 2014. The figure doesn't even take into account the financial troubles we will face when the first of 77 million baby boomers begin to collect Social Security in 2011. So while we baby boomers are enjoying our Social Security benefits, our kids will be paying for our irresponsible financial choices. Madam Speaker, my mother taught me at an early age that if you make a mess, you have to clean it up yourself. Well this federal debt is a disaster, and I'm not about to tell my kids that they should clean up their mess when Congress can't even clean up its own. What kind of example will we be setting for our kids if we don't take steps to pay down the debt? How can we teach our kids about the negative consequences of running up a credit card debt and at the same time ignore the consequences of running up the federal debt? The truth is Americans are already beginning to see the effects of their government's poor fiscal policy decisions. Peter Hooper, chief U.S. economist with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. notes, ``The bottom line here is, if we don't get a significant narrowing of the budget deficit, you're going to have increasing upward pressure on interest rates. (WSJournal 11/12/04)'' In fact, according to Freddie Mac, just this week the 30-year mortgage rate came in at 5.76 percent, an increase from 5.7 percent a week earlier. Rates on 15-year mortgages, meanwhile, climbed to 5.26 percent from 5.08 percent over the same time span. Finally, the one- year adjustable mortgage rate rose to 4.16 percent this week, up from 4 percent a week ago. Higher interest rates hurt more than just the economy--they take money right out of the pockets of young people struggling with student loan and credit card debt. And for families buying a house, higher interest rates could add literally thousands of dollars a year to their mortgage. Furthermore, the federal debt drains funds away from investment in a better future, better education, a better environment, or scientific research. In 2004 alone, U.S. taxpayers wasted $159 billion on interest payments on the federal debt--thats more than two times the amount the government provided in financial aid for college students. The $159 billion in interest payments combined with $163 billion in interest paid to the Social Security Trust Fund and other government trust accounts averages out to a staggering $1,100 ``debt tax'' for each American. For Americans facing lower paying jobs, higher housing costs, and mounting student loan and credit car debt, federal fiscal mismanagement just adds to their burdens. And this problem will only get worse. By 2014, the interest alone on the public debt will reach $348 billion under current law (that's $1,081 per person), and will reach $418 billion under the President's policies. It is shameful for Congress to even consider increasing this limit once again without including some sort of plan, such as enacting Pay- As-You-Go (PAYGO) rules, to ensure a brighter future for our children. The road to fiscal responsibility is paved with sacrifice and tough choices, but the reward--a stronger, healthier economy for Americans of all ages--is well worth the journey. I urge my colleagues to take up the responsibility thrown off by our leadership and vote against this debt limit increase.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance of Michael Andrew Mitchell, a loving family man who nobly served his community as a Tampa Police Officer. A natural athlete, at Tampa Bay Technical High School Michael excelled in football, track and basketball and earned a football scholarship to Miles College. After graduating from the police academy, Michael went on to serve in the Tampa Police Department, for 25 years. During his career, Michael earned the praise of his colleagues and superiors. He was twice awarded the Tampa Police Department Commendation Award, as well as earning a Special Award of Recognition from the Department of Justice. But more important than any award, Michael earned the trust of his fellow officers. As Jose Feliciano, Michael's former partner said, ``I never worried when I was with Mike. I always knew he had my back.'' Michael's dedication to serving his community extended beyond his role as a police officer. A lifetime member of First Baptist Church of College Hill, Michael was active in nearly every aspect of the church. He was a member of the Youth Choir, Youth Usher Board, Young Adult Choir, Tape Ministry, Breakfast Ministry, Security Ministry and Deacon Board Ministry. And Michael always had time for young people. His patient, calm and caring demeanor drew people of all ages. However, Michael may best be remembered for his devotion to his family. In June, he gave up his career at the Police Department so he could take care of his mother. His brother Pat remembers how ``if the family needed him for anything, he'd be there.'' Michael was never one to miss the weekly family dinners on Friday or the family get-togethers at church on Sunday. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I would like to extend my thanks to Michael for his dedication to serving others and offer my deepest sympathies to his many loved ones.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Robert R. Simmons, Jr., a dedicated servant to the Temple Terrace community, who sadly lost his battle with cancer last week. A North Carolina native, Bob served in World War II and attended North Carolina State University. A few years after their wedding, Bob and his wife, Ann, made Temple Terrace their home, and Bob began building his business, R.R. Simmons Construction Corporation, in Tampa. He was among the first in his trade to employ Design/Build and Tilt-Up Wall construction, and throughout his career, Bob was highly regarded within the construction industry. However, Bob may be best remembered for his contributions to the Temple Terrace community. Bob was a founding member of the Temple Terrace Presbyterian Church, an early member of the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce and active in the Lions Club and Sertoma Club. Many will recall Bob's service on Temple Terrace community boards and his dedicated support for local historic preservation projects. Bob helped local 4-H students on animal and agriculture projects, championed a tree planting program for the community golf course and pushed for pine bore beetle infestation and eradication efforts to protect and save Temple Terrace's pine trees. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community I would like to thank Bob Simmons for his leadership and service and extend my deepest sympathy to his loved ones.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I represent the Tampa Bay area, adjacent to the gentleman from Florida's (Mr. Young) district. The community I represent went through four separate preparations for these horrific hurricanes that have been described tonight, and we were blessed to avoid most of the damage, but the State has suffered immensely. As we stand here tonight, enjoying some electricity, there are still thousands of people in Florida who have no electricity and no water. I rise tonight in support of the resolution, applauding the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) for bringing our congressional delegation together and also to thank our colleagues and the folks they represent around the country for coming together to support us at a very, very difficult time. We will not forget this. I also want to take the opportunity to thank the countless volunteers and workers, particularly from utility companies, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia. These convoys were traveling night and day up and down our interstate highways, people coming and spending a lot of time away from their families, working around the clock for much longer periods than they expected, to help us put the State back together. I also want to recognize the faith community, the Georgia Baptist Convention, other people coming from churches and other religious organizations throughout the country to volunteer, in many cases on their own nickel, in some very difficult circumstances. We will not forget that either, and we are very appreciative. Finally, I want to highlight what the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd), whose district is adjacent to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), pointed out: There is roughly a discrepancy of about $2 billion between what had been originally determined to be the amount that was needed for hurricane relief and what we are voting on tonight, and it is very important, if we are going to get this job done, we get it done right. So I want to encourage the Congress to work with the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) as he attempts to fill that gap. There are a couple of areas involving highway grant funds, money for beach restoration, money for repair of military facilities; and a good job is worth doing well. We need to make sure we get this done right before the bill gets to the President's desk.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of G. Pierce Wood, Jr., who through his countless contributions to the Tampa Bay community has served as a role model for us all. A fifth generation Floridian, Pierce never shied from service. After attending the U.S. Naval Academy, he served a tour of duty in the Korean War. Pierce went on to serve TECO Energy for 34 years, retiring as Senior Vice President in 1988 to form his own government relations consulting firm. Pierce, however, will be best remembered for his many community activities and tireless support for a host of charitable causes. Throughout his lifetime of service, Pierce was chairman of the Committee of 100 of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Board of Fellows of the University of Tampa. He was president and chairman of the MacDonald Training Center Foundation and president and campaign manager of the United Way of Greater Tampa. Pierce served as director of the Tampa Museum of Art and the Tampa Philharmonic, first chairman of the capital cabinet of the new Lowry Park Zoo, president of the Gold Triangle and a member of the event advisory committee of the Tampa Sports Authority and many other civic and charitable organizations. All the while, he was active in the Rotary Club of Tampa, the Sertoma Club and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Those who knew Pierce well remember him as ``a true Southern gentleman'' and ``a giant among men.'' On behalf of the Tampa Bay community, I would like to honor G. Pierce Wood, Jr. for his dedication to serving others and extend my deepest sympathies to his many loved ones.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Herbert Jules Friedman, a man who dedicated his life to helping others, and who left his mark of generosity on the Tampa Bay community. After fighting in World War II's Battle of the Bulge as part of the 106th Infantry Division, Herb moved to Tampa. Always a hard worker, with a knack for business, Herb started Southern Mill Creek Products and quickly found success in the agricultural chemicals and equipment manufacturing industry. Herb was always willing to share his success with others. His employees will remember their boss for his big heart and generous spirit. And members of the Berkeley Preparatory High School football team will remember how Herb always made sure there were summer jobs available for them. But Herb may be best remembered for the many charitable and cultural organizations that he supported. The members of the Tampa Bay Wheelchair Athletic Association will never forget the year that Herb took 17 wheelchair athletes on a free Las Vegas vacation, or the many other ways that he supported their organization. Nor will the West Tampa Pony League Baseball Team forget the year that Herb donated funds to pay for new uniforms and equipment. These are just a few of the ways that Herb shared his joy for life with those less fortunate. Herb also served as a board member for the Tampa Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Tampa Board of Fellows, the Berkeley Preparatory School and Congregation Schaarai Zedek, of which he was a member for 55 years. Herb was also an active member of the Rotary Club of Tampa. But even with all of these activities, Herb always made time for his family. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to Herb's beloved wife, Nell, and their four children, who made Herb so proud. Herb always did right by you, and by our entire community. We thank you for sharing his kindness and charity with us all.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida

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

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 5 minutes. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment to repeal the administration's recently enacted rule restricting family travel to Cuba. Today, as the Cuban people are struggling to recover from the devastation of Hurricanes Charlie and Ivan, the Department of Treasury is prohibiting Cuban Americans from visiting Cuba to help their own family members abroad. On June 30 of this year, the Department of Treasury implemented new restrictions on family travel to Cuba. Cuban Americans are now limited to one 14-day visit with their Cuban relatives every 3 years. Let me say that again. Cuban Americans are now limited to one 14-day visit with their Cuban relatives every 3 years. This administration has also attempted to redefine the definition of the Cuban family. Cuban Americans are no longer permitted to visit their aunts, uncles or cousins in Cuba. My amendment would prohibit funds in this bill from being used to implement, administer or enforce these changes made to family travel. A vote in favor of my amendment is a vote to reinstate the previous policy, which allowed Cuban Americans one trip per year under a general license, allowed for additional emergency visits under a specific license, and kept uncles, aunts and cousins where they belong, as part of the family. Mr. Chairman, let me be clear: This amendment deals exclusively with keeping families together and would not permit unfettered travel. I have seen with my own eyes the cruelty of the Castro regime and have consistently voted against allowing tourist travel to Cuba, because I believe the United States should not unilaterally allow Castro to reap these profits. But the United States should also not be in the business of separating families. This new family travel rule undermines families, punishes Cubans on both sides of the Florida straits, and has minimal effect on the government of Cuba. The Cuban people are talented and ambitious, but under Castro's oppressive rule, they are left with little hope. For many, their only lifeline is the emotional and financial support they receive from relatives in America. Mr. Chairman, I have spoken with numerous Cuban-Americans in my community, the Tampa Bay area and across Florida who are heartbroken by these regulations. Rufino Blanco, a Korean War veteran from my hometown, had planned to celebrate his 75th birthday with his many first and second cousins in Cuba this summer. When this rule was enacted, he had to cancel his trip. If this rule stays in place, he will probably never see his relatives again. Last year, Ignacio and Gloria Menendez of Miami traveled to Cuba to help their daughter recover from an emergency surgery. They had already visited Cuba once that year, so they had to apply for a specific license to make the emergency trip. Under the administration's new rule, their daughter would have to fend for herself, because the Menendezes will not be able to see their daughter again for 3 years. In fact, a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. State Department summed up the outrageous insensitivity of this rule when he was quoted by Reuters as saying, ``An individual can decide when they want to travel once every 3 years, and the decision is up to them. So if they have a dying relative, they have to figure out when they want to travel.'' How outrageous. I share the disgust of Simon Rose, whose Cuban-American wife can now only visit her mother once every 3 years. He says these regulations are ``a perversion to the family values I grew up with.'' And then, most recently, we learned about U.S. Army Specialist and Medic Carlos Lazos who my colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) will talk about. Mr. Chairman, in closing, this chamber is constantly celebrating and supporting America's families. We have passed marriage penalty relief and child tax credits. But these sweeping changes on family travel to Cuba were enacted without so much as one hearing in Congress. Today, we have an opportunity to right this wrong. We have the opportunity to support families who may be divided in geography but not in flesh and blood and certainly not in heart. Hurricane Charley caused 5 deaths and at least $1 billion in damage in Cuba. It damaged more than 70,000 homes and flattened hundreds of acres of crops. We are still just starting to gather the statistics on the damage caused by Ivan. How can Congress stand in the way of Cuban-Americans who so desperately want to go to Cuba to help their own flesh and blood, their relatives in the aftermath of this destruction? How can we strip the Cuban people of this support when they have such little hope to cling to? Mr. Chairman, this body may be divided on whether the United States should allow travel to Cuba for tourism and business reasons, but I hope today we can unite in support of families. I urge my colleagues to set politics aside and vote in favor of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Mr. Deutsch).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Miami, Florida (Mr. Meek), whose district abuts the gentleman from Florida's (Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake).

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, who has the right to close on the amendment?