Tom Davis

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2309) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2300 Redondo Avenue in Signal Hill, California, as the ``J. Stephen Horn Post Office Building,'' as amended.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2309.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2309, as amended, introduced by my distinguished colleague from the State of California (Ms. Millender-McDonald), designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2300 Redondo Avenue in Long Beach, California, as the ``Stephen Horn Post Office Building.'' Mr. Speaker, this legislation would rename this southern California post office after one of our most distinguished former Members, Congressman Steve Horn. Congressman Horn retired this past January at the conclusion of the 107th Congress. He was one of the most intelligent, respected and admired Members of the House of Representatives, and we are all proud to have had an opportunity to serve with him and to recognize his service today. Congressman Horn spent his entire professional life around or within the Federal Government. Along the way, he particularly studied and mastered the procedural details of succeeding as a legislator on Capitol Hill. He has viewed the legislative process from every possible perspective: as a congressional aid, an executive branch staff member, an academic, a writer and, ultimately, as an elected official. Following his extensive education that includes a master's degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Stanford University, Steve Horn began his career in public service in 1959 as an aide to then-Labor Secretary James Mitchell in the Eisenhower administration. Within 2 years, Steve came to Capitol Hill for the first time as a legislative assistant to former California Senator Tom Kuchel. I first met him when he was an aide to Senator Kuchel when I was a young page over in the Senate back in the 1963-64 time frame, and I will never forget his replacement, when he left the Senator's office, who was a young man named Leon Panetta who also went on to serve and was distinguished in this body. After stints as a senior fellow with the Brookings Institute and a dean of American University, Mr. Horn returned to California as president of California State University at Long Beach. From his studies and experience, he has written important books on congressional ethics, parliamentary procedure, and the Senate Appropriations Committee. Professor Steve Horn left academia to make a run for the Republican nomination to the House of Representatives in 1988. Although he came up short in that race, he ran another campaign 4 years later in a different district in 1992 and won the Republican nomination. During the general election season, he based his campaign headquarters out of his son's apartment and mailed out nearly 50,000 15-minute videotapes to voters about himself. As a result of his efforts, Steve Horn was elected to the House of Representatives from the 38th District of California in November of 1992. Mr. Speaker, once he was elected to Congress, Congressman Horn quickly became known as one of the most diligent Members of the House. He tirelessly chaired the Committee on Government Reform's Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations until his retirement, and I was very fortunate to have served on that subcommittee during his tenure. He held countless hearings that aimed to improve the accountability and effectiveness of the Federal Government. Specifically, he was a leader in encouraging Federal agencies to prepare their technology systems for the Y2K bug and worked on various government debt collection bills that aimed to allow the government to obtain outstanding debts. Today, Congressman Horn lives in semi-retirement with his wife Nini in California. He continues his public service to this day, working in a consultative role with the National Academy of Public Administration. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2309, as amended, that honors Congressman Steve Horn for his 5 terms in the House and his service to the people of California and the entire Nation. He was a rarity, a very bipartisan Member of this body, looking not at interest groups, not at partisanship, but for what he felt would be the best result. I think this institution would be better served with more Members like Steve Horn. This is an appropriate acknowledgment of the service that he gave his country here in the Congress. I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from California, for introducing this important measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 350.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, again, on behalf of the House, I want to congratulate Lance Armstrong for his most recent Tour de France win. I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 350.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 350) congratulating Lance Armstrong for winning the 2003 Tour de France.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 350 congratulates Lance Armstrong for winning the 2003 Tour de France, a race many consider the most grueling sporting event in the world. Mr. Speaker, on July 27 Lance Armstrong won the incredible 23-day bicycle race through French mountains, countryside and cities to become the fifth cyclist in the 100-year history of the race to earn five Tour de France victories. Even more impressively, Lance won the race for the fifth consecutive year, becoming only the second person ever to do so. Since this House recessed for the summer the same weekend as Lance's victory, I am very proud that on its first day back this distinguished body is recognizing the inspirational Lance Armstrong and his unbelievable courage, grit, and determination. Lance Armstrong, one of the giants of American athletes over the last decade, was born to a 5'3", 105-pound 17-year-old mother in the suburbs of Dallas in September 1971. Growing up, while other classmates were playing football or partying, Lance spent much of his free time running, riding his bicycle, swimming and exercising. At the age of 13, Lance began to enter triathalons all over the U.S. where he biked, ran and swam with the Nation's best. As a high school senior, Armstrong qualified to train with the U.S. Olympic team, but ultimately he focused solely on cycling. As a cyclist he won the U.S. National Amateur Championship in 1991. Over the next 5 years, Lance won 12 bike races, including the World Championships in 1993. By 1996 Lance Armstrong was a top-rated cyclist in the world, but it was during 1996 after a victory at the Tour DuPont in North Carolina that he began to feel more fatigue and discomfort than usual, even after an exhausting race. Later that year he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Some of Lance's doctors at the time gave him only a 40 percent chance of surviving. He would say later he thinks that they were only being nice when they said that. Lance soon underwent three major operations and chemotherapy to fight off the disease that had spread to his abdomen, his lungs and his brain. The treatments were successful; and within a year of being diagnosed with cancer, he was pronounced cancer free. As a survivor, Lance has become one of the world's most influential cancer research advocates. Lance founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to promote cancer research and awareness. He also wrote the best selling book, ``It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life,'' that tells the full story of how his early successes were interrupted by cancer, how he survived cancer, and how he eventually returned to racing and won his first Tour de France in 1999. This year, having never won the race in his previous five victories by less than 6 minutes, Lance made his fans sweat a little bit. He ultimately won the 2,125 mile race by 61 seconds after he endured rain, fog, heat, illness, and even protesters, not to mention the indescribably punishing course. President Bush called to congratulate him on the night of his fifth straight triumph. In his book, Lance describes in gut-wrenching detail the miserable initial symptoms of testicular cancer. He explained the anguish of how it felt to learn he acquired the deadly disease in 1996 at a point when his racing career was literally just starting to take off. Perhaps the following excerpt that describes his life's spirit is the more enduring words of his book. He said, ``I want to die at 100 years old with an American flag on my back and the star of Texas on my helmet, after screaming down an Alpine descent on a bicycle at 75 miles per hour. I want to cross one last finish line as my wife and my 10 children applaud, and then I want to lie down in a field of those famous French sunflowers and gracefully expire: the perfect contradiction to my once anticipated poignant early demise.'' Mr. Speaker, Lance Armstrong is an incredible role model to all citizens for his relentless work ethic, unmatched physical fitness that has helped him become perhaps the greatest cyclist of all time. It is remarkable that he achieved his great accomplishments in the cycling world after he overcame cancer, proving to all that a person can not only defeat cancer, but can thrive after beating it. Mr. Speaker, Lance turns 32 years old this month, more than 7 years after he miraculously overcame the cancer that experts said he had less than a 50 percent chance of surviving. Almost as remarkably, he has assured all his fans that he is determined to pursue a sixth straight Tour de France victory next summer. I, for one, cannot wait to cheer him on. For all of these reasons, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 350 that commemorates Lance Armstrong's fifth Tour de France victory. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. That is midnight California time.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say good-bye to Eve Butler-Gee, the Chief Journal Clerk in the House, who will retire at the end of August after 20 years of service to the House of Representatives. Eve began her professional career in the House. After an interlude working for a charitable foundation, she returned to the House in 1987 as the Minority Enrolling Clerk of the House. She served in that capacity for 8 years before her appointment as Chief Journal Clerk in 1995. With this appointment, Eve became the first woman in the history of the House of Representatives to serve as Chief Journal Clerk. Eve and three assistant journal clerks are responsible for keeping the journal of the House proceedings in that big journal minute book which we see her with here every day at the rostrum and which we vote on half the time. According to House rules, the first order of business each day is the vote on the Chair's approval of the Journal of the last day's proceedings. The Journal Clerk's office also publishes the journal of each session of Congress for use as a reference by the House Parliamentarians, Members of Congress, regional libraries and State governments. Under Eve's direction the publication of the House Journal has been brought up to date and publication procedures modernized and refined. Much has transpired during her service on the House rostrum staff. The House has voted on the Gulf War resolution, grieved a gunman's killing of two U.S. Capitol policemen, evacuated the House during the attacks of September 11, enacted counterterrorism measures, dealt with anthrax attacks and voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq. Eve has often said that she has been privileged to witness history every day in this Chamber. Those who know Eve Butler-Gee know her faith life and her service in the Episcopal Church is also an important part of who she is. She serves as head verger at the Church of the Holy Comforter in Vienna, Virginia, where her husband, Tom Gee, also serves as director of lay liturgists. After her retirement, she plans to serve as a volunteer verger at the Washington National Cathedral. She and Tom plan to spend their time traveling and enjoying the comfort of friends and family, including Eve's daughter and son-in-law, Lora and John Williams, her grandson Evan, and Tom's son Sean Gee. Tom and Eve also eagerly await the birth of a new grandchild in December. Following a trip to Ireland in September, Eve hopes finally to have the free time to resume her lifelong interest in writing and community theater. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank her for her faithful service to this body and wish her health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia. (Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. I thank my friend for being part of this 15-hour celebration.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my good friend, Mr. Stuart Finely. Present-day Northern Virginia is characterized by swaths of economic and residential growth, traffic, and the frenetic pace of those eager to get ahead. But amid this hustle and bustle lies the unique community of Lake Barcroft--a place that holds a special place in my heart and in the hearts of all of those lucky enough to have lived along its shores. Lake Barcroft is a man-made lake located in the vicinity of Seven Corners area of Northern Virginia, offering an oasis of peace and tranquility in an otherwise busy suburban region. As with many such places, the work of a few dedicated souls has been instrumental in creating and maintaining the special flavor so many now enjoy. Stuart Finley was such an individual. A man whose dedication and industry were instrumental in making Lake Barcroft the special place it is today, and without whom the lake might not even exist. Over a span of almost fifty years, Stuart dedicated innumerable hours to projects involving the lake. He was an early president of the Lake Barcroft Community Association, then later served as chairman of the engineering committee. But through the numerous positions with different organizations, perhaps the most fitting title for Stuart was ``community problem solver.'' Be it organizing dredging projects or the purchase of the lake itself, Stuart was intimately involved. Mr. Speaker, in closing, as a resident of Lake Barcroft, I wish to express my gratitude to Stuart Finley and pay tribute to his lifetime of community service. Northern Virginia is a better place due to his efforts, and I appreciate this opportunity to express my regret at his passing.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 436, I was off the House floor and didn't hear the bells. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. First of all, they concede the point of order. What they are doing is legislating on an appropriation bill without any consultation with the committee of jurisdiction. We offered to work out language on this, and we were rebuffed and therefore we are going to keep our point of order. We hope that in the future if you have concerns, you will speak with the authorizing committee.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to any attempts to cut funding for Andean Counterdrug Initiatives (ACI). July 13 marked the third anniversary of Congressional approval of Plan Colombia. We need to reaffirm, not dismantle, our commitment to this program, to the people of Colombia, and to American citizens. I have led three congressional delegations to Colombia over the past five months. I can say firsthand that our significant investment is beginning to pay dividends. Together with the strong commitment of the Uribe Administration and historic levels of support from the Colombian people, U.S. involvement in Colombia is beginning to hit narco- terrorists where it hurts. We are seeing tremendous results in illegal crop eradication, and Plan Colombia's efforts have produced record reductions in coca production and in the destruction of drug labs. Each week brings news of new seizures of cocaine and heroine--interdictions that are usually the result of U.S.-supplied intelligence. In fact, just three weeks ago during my most recent CODEL, Colombian officials seized over a ton of cocaine from a drug trafficking boat off the Carribean coast. The Colombian government is reestablishing state presence in areas of the country that for decades lacked it. Criminals who have remained at bay for years are being captured and extradited to the United States for prosecution. During the first 11 months of President Uribe's tenure, 68 individuals have been extradited from Colombia to the United States. Mr. Chairman, Plan Colombia is working. I have seen firsthand the devastation that drug production and trafficking has on Colombia. To those who question our investment, I would ask them to visit, as I have, Colombian soldiers who have lost their limbs or eyesight or sustained permanent disabilities in their battle to return peace to their nation--and keep drugs off American streets. I would also ask them to visit Barrio Nelson Mandela, a USAID- sponsored facility for internally displaced people who have been forced from their homes by drug traffickers and guerillas. This facility showed me how our work on behalf of Colombia's millions of internally displaced people is offering men, women, and children a second chance at a violence-free, productive life. My travels to Colombia have shown me just how critical U.S. assistance is to their government. With such promising results over the last 3 years, we need to sustain the momentum. Of course obstacles remain, and progress is slower than we would like it to be. But now is not the time to turn our backs on this battle that is so intrinsically tied to our war on terrorism and the scourge of illegal drug use. The Uribe Administration is committed to this war. But it needs United States assistance to improve mobility, intelligence, and training. Make no mistake: Colombia today is doing its share. Spending on security forces has increased under President Uribe from $2.7 billion to over $4 billion. We simply cannot afford for President Uribe to fail to rid his country of the narco-terror threat. Nor would Colombians understand such a step if this amendment prevails. The Administration requested $731,000,000 for the Andean Counterdrug Initiative (ACI) for fiscal year 2004. Full funding of this request is critical to sustaining our success in Colombia and to protecting Colombia's neighbors from a spillover effect. It's simple, Mr. Chairman: Now is not the time to turn our backs on the progress we are making against narco-terrorism in Colombia. We cannot win this war on drugs and drug-supported terrorism without the proper tools and resources. Vote ``no'' on the McGovern amendments.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Again, section 603 puts a limitation on 5 United States Code section 3109 and restricts the use of temporary outside consultants and experts by the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State to contracts that are a matter of public record. Because of exceptions to this section, it does not significantly restrict these outside consultants. But this again falls under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Reform. We have consulted with the chairman on this. He feels very strongly about this issue. We will not raise a point of order on this, but hope that in the future we can work together on these sections, exercising our joint jurisdictions for the public benefit.

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, two sections of this, on page 47 and page 55, lines 19 through 23, there are two sections here that are basically legislating on an appropriations bill over which our committees has jurisdiction. We have discussed these sections with the gentleman from Virginia and have come to an agreement that we will not at this point exercise a point of order, but want to work with the committee in the future as they draft these bills to work with our committee so that we can craft appropriate language to meet our mutual goals. Is the gentleman in agreement?