Lincoln Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, during a ceremony on November 11, 2005 in Columbia, Tennessee, the late Major General William E. Potts will be recognized for his service to his state and nation. The Veteran's Plaza on the grounds of the Maury County Courthouse will be named the Major General William E. Potts Veterans Memorial Plaza, with a plaque placed as a permanent memorial to his memory.- General Potts was born December 9, 1935 in Nashville. He later moved to Columbia with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Madden Potts. General Potts graduated from Columbia Central High School and Vanderbilt University. Having played football in high school and college he helped his Commodores defeat Auburn in the 1955 Gator Bowl. Upon graduation from Vanderbilt in 1958, General Potts was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He studied Turkish at the Army's language school and graduated from both the Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He also earned a master's degree in public administration from Middle Tennessee State University. General Potts was company commander of the 801st Maintenance Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, served as an adviser in Vietnam and Army Attache in Ankara, Turkey, and battalion commander of the 702nd Maintenance Battalion, Second Infantry Division in Korea. After being assigned to the Pentagon he was made Deputy Commanding General for research and development, Army Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville before assuming command of the Army's Ordnance Center and School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. General Potts passed away February 29, 2004 at Walter Reed Army Hospital, and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. In attendance for the November 11th ceremony will be General Potts's wife, Peggy; his sons, Colonel Gary Potts, who is currently serving in Afghanistan, Neil Potts, a former Army Captain, Airborne Ranger, Special Forces, now a restaurateur in Dallas, and their respective families. The General's only surviving sibling, Irene Morris of Columbia, will also be in attendance. The ceremony will include color guards from the Vanderbilt University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Tennessee State Guard, Spring Hill Junior Army ROTC and the Columbia Central Junior Navy ROTC.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, travel to almost any country in the world, tell folks you're from Tennessee, and they're likely to respond with a smile and the name of someone they know from my 4th Congressional District--Jack Daniel. I'm proud to represent the people who craft one of America's best- known and most-beloved products. Every drop of the 7 million cases of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey wetting the whistles of folks in more than 140 countries is made and mellowed, drop by drop, in Lynchburg, Tennessee. That's quite an accomplishment for a town with just one traffic light and whose population is advertised as just 361. Now, to tell you the truth, Lynchburg's population is a bit larger than that. As one of my Moore County constituents has confided, ``Why does it say population 361 on the bottle? There is probably five or six hundred people living in Lynchburg. They just want us to look small.'' Small or not, as the home to the Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and America's oldest registered distillery, Lynchburg and Moore County have made sizeable contributions to the American way of life. In fact, the little town of Lynchburg may be the largest per capita tax contributor in the country when it comes to federal revenues generated by the fruits of their labors. Each gallon of whiskey in Jack Daniel's warehouses will generate about $13.50 in federal taxes. Multiply by the more than a million gallons resting in each warehouse, then multiply it again by the 74 warehouses dotting the hillsides, and it adds up to right at a billion dollars. And that's not just a one-time contribution. The whiskey made by the people of Moore County and the Jack Daniel Distillery generates more than $115 million a year in federal, state and local taxes across the country. But as significant as these taxes revenues are, Jack Daniel's contributions to American culture are far greater. Through the years, Jack Daniel's virtues have been heralded by presidents, movie stars and musicians. U.S. Vice President John Nance ``Cactus Jack'' Garner, in office during the repeal of Prohibition, was said to have invited friends to his office right here in the Capitol to ``strike a blow for liberty'' with the help of Jack Daniel's. It's been reported that Winston Churchill approved of the whiskey to the point his appreciation provoked extraordinary discomfort among his country's Scotch-makers. Jack Daniel's association with the Rat Pack and its Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra, is legendary. During his lifetime, he was said to have always traveled with a supply of Jack Daniel's just in case his favorite libation was unavailable. That may also be the case with his final journey. A small bottle of Jack is reported to have been buried with Mr. Sinatra. With this rich heritage, the legend of Jack Daniel's lives on stronger than ever today. The Rolling Stone, has named Jack Daniel's an American Icon while Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind--a popular rock band, so I am told--has said to the people of Lynchburg, ``Ya'll should be proud of yourselves because Rock `n' Roll would not have been invented without your product.'' And, finally, no less than the great American writer and Noble Prize- winning author William Faulkner once sized up Jack Daniel's real appeal when he said ``It's a good thing that in a changing world there are some things you can count on, like the quality of Jack Daniel's.'' As in the best of American stories, Jack Daniel rose to its heralded place from humble beginnings. It all started with Jasper Newton Daniel born in Lynchburg sometime in September, sometime around 1850. Then as now, Jasper Newtown's friends just called him Jack. And a fortunate thing, since I can't imagine a glass of Jasper would have captured the America's fancy as completely. Jack was just five-foot-two-inches tall and left home before he'd reached the age of ten. He took up with and learned the art of making whiskey from a local Lutheran preacher named Dan Call and his African American still hand, Nearest Green. Jack later bought the minister's distilling operation when Call's congregation forced their spiritual advisor to choose between making spirits and saving them. About the time Jack set out on his own, the American Civil War broke out. The land around Lynchburg was taken and retaken by Union troops seven times, and the foraging armies of the North and South made corn and grain for whiskey-making hard to come by. Through it all, Jack held fast to his simple philosophy--``Every day that we make it, we'll make it the best that we can.'' Making it Mr. Jack's way meant adding an extra step to the traditional whiskey-making process. Jack mellowed his whiskey drop by drop through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal before putting it up to mature in white oak barrels. This extra blessing added time and expense to making his whiskey, but a taste of what emerged from the barrels had most folks agreeing it was worth the wait. During its 150-some-year history, Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 has been awarded seven international gold medals, beginning with the first it won at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. The 1904 World's Fair helped usher in the American Century, which the little man from Tennessee and his whiskey was destined to be a growing part of. In 1911, the distillery was left to Jack Daniel's nephew Lem Motlow, who watched over the distillery through 29 years of state and national prohibition. One of the ways Mr. Lem occupied himself during those long dry years was to engage in one of the grandest of diversions--politics. Straightforward to a fault, Lem ran for the state legislature on the campaign promise--``Elect me and I'll do something for myself! But I'll also do something for you!'' And that's exactly what he did. Lem eventually helped change the law in Tennessee so that he could return to making whiskey and his friends could go back to enjoying it. Major General George S. Patton and his Second Armored Division trained in Camp Forrest, a military base near Lynchburg, in 1941. Along with learning the tactics that would ultimately free Europe, the men who trained there acquired a taste for Jack Daniel's--a taste they would eventually take home with them, spreading the word about this smooth Tennessee spirit. Sales of Jack Daniel's rocketed from 150,000 cases in the early 1950s to more than 1 million cases by 1970. To support this rapid growth and to make sure friends of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 wouldn't have to go without, Lem's four sons entrusted the care of their Uncle Jack's distillery to another American whiskey family-- the Browns of Louisville, Kentucky. Brown-Forman Corporation purchased the Jack Daniel's Distillery in 1956 and wisely left untouched the whiskey-making and mellowing methods faithfully practiced by the distillery for more than a century. Under the watchful care of Brown-Forman, Jack Daniel's Old Tennessee Whiskey has continued to make new friends, satisfying people of different tastes by bringing along side its venerable Old No. 7 brand new family members like Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails. Jack Daniel's and Brown-Forman have long been industry leaders in promotion responsible drinking. These are good folks. They want their products enjoyed but never abused. Each year, they invest millions of dollars in The Century Council's award winning educational programs to combat drunk driving and underage drinking. Their brand advertising, repleat with images of the beautiful landscape and good people of Moore County, is highly responsible. And most recently, Jack Daniel's has carried this message to millions of Americans through a NASCAR sponsorship promoting the use of designated drivers and--literally and figurateively--driving home the message emblazoned on the aptly numbered 07 car--``Pace Yourself. Drink Responsibly.'' This care for the whiskey, the consumers who enjoy it and the special people and special place where it is made are the things that add up to the global legend of Jack Daniel's today. Under the watchful care of Brown-Forman Corporation Chairman Owsley Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Varga, Master Distiller Jimmy Bedford and the good people of Moore County and Lynchburg, Tennessee, I'm proud to inform the House that Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 become this year the No. 1 selling whiskey in the world. Congratulations, Moore County, and Mr. Jack. Finally, in honor of Jack Daniel's and the people of Moore County, their status in the world as ambassadors of American culture, hard work, and timeless truths; and in this the month in which we celebrate the birth of Mr. Jack Daniel, I would ask my colleagues to join me in saying--Here's to the spirit of America, Mr. Jack of Lynchburg, Moore County, Tennessee, 155 years old, and still out on the town-- responsibly--every night.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I am a Conservative Democrat representing a rural area of Tennessee, and I rise today in opposition to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Speaker, I will support any trade agreement that results in American job growth and allows our manufacturers and farmers to export their products to new, fair, and competitive markets in other countries. In fact, I have supported previous trade agreements with Chile, Singapore, Australia, and Morocco. But my constituents and I are fearful of this particular agreement. Our fear is that the only export we will see in this country because of CAFTA is American jobs. This fear is based on our real life experience with a similar agreement that sounds much like this one. That agreement, of course, was NAFTA. My congressional district has been devastated by the loss of jobs since NAFTA's passage. You know, I've been told a lot of different things by a lot of different folks about why I should support this agreement. One argument was that supporting CAFTA is the Christian thing to do. Well, I am a devout Christian, and I for one do not think exploiting cheap labor for corporate profits is particularly Christian. So, I have a message for corporate America: the real Christian thing for you to do is provide wages to your new Central American employees that are equivalent to wages of the employees in my district who will lose their jobs as a result of this Central American Free Trade Agreement. I strongly urge all my colleagues who truly care about the American working man and woman to reject this trade agreement, and let's work on creating new jobs in this country instead of outsourcing the ones we currently have.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes to recognize a remarkable woman and Pickett County, Tennessee's oldest known living resident. Ms. Odie (Riley) Rich was born on December 10, 1901 in Pickett County, where she has lived all her life. Ms. Rich is the daughter of the late William and Irene Riley. Ms. Odie married A.L. Rich on December 23, 1923 when she was 22- years-old. When asked by her granddaughter, Paula Perry, in the local newspaper, where her wedding dress came from, Ms. Rich replied ``I made it myself.'' Mr. and Mrs. Rich raised several children, Dorthena Price, Paul Rich (deceased), Eladean Tompkins, Jack Rich, Morris Rich, Odell Rich, and Carolyn Long. She has 20 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren. Ms. Odie is a wonderful witness to history and the times. She remembers when women first got the right to vote, having voted for the first time herself in 1921. The first vehicle her and her husband owned was a 1941 Chevy truck. Up until then, they traveled by horse or mule. When asked how she rode with a dress on, she commented ``Why, side saddle of course!'' However, she never learned to drive an automobile. She remarked that if she ever learned that she would have been a speed demon. Today, Ms. Rich still lives on the old home place and loves to do gardening and canning. Ms. Rich is an endearing character that has provided insight into the past all the while bringing joy and happiness to her loved ones and neighbors. May God continue to bless Ms. Odie Rich.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, Cordell Hull is the father of the United Nations, and has been recognized as such. His birthplace is located in the Fourth Congressional District of Tennessee, where he served as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Hull received the Nobel Peace Prize as a result of his work forging the alliances to establish the United Nations. He had observed the failures of the League of Nations and, as a result, saw the unleashing of the horrible occurrences of World War II. Mr. Chairman, I do not rise today to honor Mr. Hull, although it would be fitting to do so. It is my firm belief that the United Nations has prohibited a third world war. We today are at the edge of an attempt to undermine this viable world organization that has perhaps saved us from a catastrophic confrontation between the countries of the world. As we debate these issues, 6 million souls of those whose lives were taken during the Holocaust are crying out for us to preserve this vehicle that has carried the message of peace in the world. The souls of tens of millions, both civilians and soldiers, who lost their lives during World War II are also being felt, I believe, inside this Chamber. The United Nations has been an entity of the world that we have looked to as we have confronted aggressor nations. I recall as a boy the young men from our community who went to Korea in what was called a U.N. police action. The U.N. also played a major role after Iraq invaded Kuwait, when the nations of the world came together to demanded Saddam Hussein and his army withdraw from that country, and then authorized military action that successfully forced Saddam and his army from Kuwait. After the September 11 attack, Congress authorized the President and this current administration to invade Iraq if there was evidence that Saddam's thugs were a threat to America, possessed weapons of mass destruction, or had been training the terrorists that attacked this country. This Congress had confidence in the current administration and their abilities to make decisions involving Iraq, and we gave them that authority. The Lantos substitute puts us in exactly the same posture of confidence in this President as the Iraqi resolution. The Lantos substitute gives the President and this administration the right to withhold funds from the leaders of the U.N. if they do not adhere to the concerns we have in this Congress. It is difficult for me to see how any Member of Congress who voted to authorize the President to invade Iraq and gave him and his administration that authority would today show a lack of confidence in this administration. We need to be sure the leaders of the U.N. understand our disenchantment with many of the occurrences that have happened. But to cripple this viable world organization that has ministered to the lesser amongst us, fed the hungry, housed the homeless, clothed the naked, cured the sick, provided clean water and a safe environment for many in the world is something America cannot afford to lose. Bear in mind, my support of the U.N. will never include letting the United Nations impose in any way on the sovereignty of this Nation, as our Constitution would prohibit. Mr. Chairman, I encourage adoption of the Lantos substitute.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, it was certainly a blessing to have traveled with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) and with the entire delegation to Iraq, the time that we spent in Jordan, the times that we spent with the ladies from Iraq as we tried to relate to them how wonderful a democracy is and how wonderfully it works in our country. I had an opportunity on more than one occasion, once before, in February, to go to Iraq. And when I was there it was just before the insurgency really started. It was February of 2004. And we spent time in Basra, as well as in Baghdad in the Sunni triangle. The troops I met there were upbeat, they were excited. We had, very quickly with the military that we had, won a war from what many of us in this country felt would be more difficult. But I think the enthusiasm of our troops, the training of our troops, the commitment of our troops to be sure that Iraq was liberated from a tyrant called Saddam Hussein was the driving force in those who serve in our military services. I think that all of us who have been to Iraq or Afghanistan have renewed energy for support of our troops that are there. If one goes to Iraq or Afghanistan, they also have this deep, abiding feeling that if they only knew how it was in America, if every person only knew in this country how it is in America how wonderful it would be, because the insurgencies and the occurrences that are happening there today would cease to exist, because even they would realize what a greater life they could have, a better life they could have if they would just look at this country as an example. Can that happen? I hope it can. I think it can. We must believe that it can, and we must be sure that we support the newly elected officials of Iraq to be sure that that happens. I was asked a question in late 2003 by a sixth grader in one of the schools in Manchester, Tennessee. And sixth graders will ask, How much do we make as a Congressman? Have we met the President? What kind of person is he? Do we like him? Do we have a family? Do we have children? Do we have grandchildren? Obviously they look at me, and they think he has grandchildren, which I do. So we get a lot of questions. But this one little girl, with almost a certainty and it seems like she had just a mission, she said, ``Congressman, do you think we can establish a democracy in Iraq?'' And generally what I would tell someone at the general store, where I go on Saturdays when I have time, or on Sundays after church, generally what I would tell them is that we have to try, we have to try, because it is important that people living throughout the world have an opportunity to enjoy the freedom that we enjoy in this country. But I felt that sixth grader, who may not have watched TV, needed a more concise answer; and my comment to her was that virtually all the democracies today, Israel, started from within, as a result of a holocaust and as a result of many of those individuals removed from other countries, in many cases arrested for being expelled from those countries. This great country we live in with the assistance of other nations, obviously our army that was put together, the Continental Army, fought to achieve our liberty and our freedom and we established, as a result of that, a democracy where we are governed by our Constitution. So most of the democracies today started from within. And I was looking at Iraq and saying, I am not sure this is possible, until I made the visit to Iraq. I realized democracies can be established without an uprising from within, because I believe when our troops went to Iraq and we deposed the tyrant who was imposing on the people of Iraq, the ill will that he was imposing, the horrible circumstances, the deaths of so many that he took, I realized that those individuals in Iraq have suffered and suffered greatly. So I truly believe that in Iraq we can see a democracy established. And what I told the young lady was that if we can work in the Middle East to establish a democracy in Iraq and perhaps in Afghanistan, in my opinion, it will be the crowning accomplishment of this century. Democracies do not go to war with each other. So I am extremely impressed with our troops that I met there. I am impressed and pleased with what I think is a great opportunity for a country in the Middle East to reach out and be governed by laws rather than a man. When we are governed by laws instead of men, then we do have a democracy. And I truly believe that will happen. I watched the women, the Iraqi Women's Democracy Initiative Training Conference, and I sat with them, like all of us did. We talked to them. And I was sitting in this breakout group where there were eight or ten individuals, and we were talking about whether or not a shelter should be built for women who may have been abused, or whether there should be a safe haven for them; and that was just part of a schedule problem they had to solve. It did not matter whether they supported or did not support it; they had to find a solution to it. And this one lady sitting to my right continued to get very fretful. She was extremely irritated because she was in this group that was in the process of putting together a reason why there needed to be shelters in Iraq for women who had been abused. There was another group that was put together, problem solving, that would say, We do not need a shelter for women. She finally left that group. And when one of the ladies who was helping to put the program together came to me, I said, I do not think I have ever seen as much fear in anyone's eyes as I saw in that woman's, and I do not understand why she would be so fearful of even putting together a plan which is like problem solving in math skills, why she would be so frightened. She came back to me a little bit later and she said, The lady has had an attempt on her life because she was advocating this in Iraq and she was fearful that somehow it would get back to her neighbors that she was participating in just problem solving. So when I realized that these ladies who came to Jordan to be a participant in this initiative, talking about democracy, and all of those who were traveling were actually fired upon with small arms fire, it opened up my eyes about the challenges that lie ahead for the nation of Iraq. But with the heart of the women that I met and with others that in Iraq that are Iraqi citizens, the men there, I truly believe that we have made the right decision, and I believe we will see a democracy established in the Middle East in Iraq. One of the things that impressed me was the troops, all of them, wanted me to be sure to tell folks back home, We are safe. We are okay. Let our families know that we are okay. Great morale, totally committed. The district I represent is in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee. We have a volunteer spirit in Tennessee. The 278th Cavalry is one of two of the cavalries in our Nation's Army. The regular cavalry was brought back from Iraq. The 278th was activated; 2,200 members of that 278th, of 3,000, are from Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District that I represent. I met some of them in Iraq, and I can assure the folks back home, we can all be proud of our soldiers that are serving us in Iraq and other parts of the world. The ones I met with, if one is a father or a mother or a husband or a wife or a son or a daughter or a grandparent of one of these troops, they can rest assured they are making us proud, and I know they are making them proud. I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) for the opportunity to go on the visit. It was a wonderful trip. I got to know a lot about the gentleman. As a matter of fact, a young fellow named Chris Ruehl was telling us about the 278th, if the gentleman from Nebraska remembers, and he got emotional and showed pictures, and he even found out some of the trials that we had had in Tennessee, which I will not express here on the House floor, but he even gave us a history of part of Tennessee that he learned from some of our 278th. So our folks of the 278th are serving us well in Iraq, and when they come back home, we will welcome them with open arms.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, thank you for an opportunity to be here tonight. And I deeply appreciate it. This is my second term, so I am kind of new as far as being a Member of Congress. But it is a delightful group that I am with, and I certainly look forward to this Nation having better leadership with individuals like those I serve with who are Members of our Blue Dog Coalition.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Arkansas; and, certainly, it is a privilege to serve in the U.S. House with my good friend, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper). The gentleman at one time served the district that I represent, and he is one of the few great intellects we have in Tennessee. He is, in my opinion, very analytic on this issue, and it is certainly a pleasure to follow the gentleman, although sometimes quite difficult, obviously, but he is someone we can be proud of. I am extremely pleased to be a part of a group who call themselves Blue Dog Democrats, and there is a reason for that. We truly believe that deficit hawks and defense hawks are something that America believes in, and that is why I can believe in this group, in this caucus of 30-some-odd individuals who have committed themselves to fiscal responsibility and being sure that our Nation is defended against our enemies, and our enemy today comes in more than one way. It certainly can come in the form of what happened on September 11 from individuals who want to do harm to liberty and freedom. It can also come from an economic assault on this Nation. I want to talk some about that in a few moments. But as we look at what has happened in this country since 2000 and look at the huge deficits, and it is my understanding that if we take the trade deficits in the last 4 years and total those up, I have heard that it is greater than the entire deficits, trade deficits in the history of this country. What does that mean, and what does that do for us? It means we are losing our jobs. It means that as that continues to happen, we will also start losing our revenue streams. So we have got to start looking at putting our house in order and managing what we are doing today. Otherwise, this country not only could be attacked by some military power; I am not sure there is one in the world that would threaten to do that, by those who are terrorists who would threaten this country or attack this country, but the economic threat to our Nation is almost as equally dangerous today unless we get our fiscal house in order. To my colleagues and folks back home who may be watching, this may sound a little partisan to you, but a lot of folks back home on both sides of the aisle I think that have supported me, and I appreciate that, but I think it is time that I expressed my views pretty strongly because I love this country. I want my grandchildren to be sure that they enjoy the same liberties and opportunities and options in their life that this wonderful country gave me. I do believe that this administration and the Republican majority has spent a great deal of time in the first session of the 109th Congress trying to convince the American people that Social Security is in a crisis. Well, that is debatable, and I am sure Congress will spend valuable time over the next few months arguing about how to fix this system. While I think that we should address Social Security's pending solvency problems at some point in the future, I truly believe the responsible and moral thing for this Congress to do is to address the crisis that is knocking at our front door. That crisis is a $7.7 trillion national debt, over $600 billion a year in trade deficits, and over $400 billion a year in budget deficits. These numbers are so big that they sound like something out of a science fiction movie. If only they were science fiction. Sadly, it is really the fact. Since this administration has taken office, we have seen, as the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper) said a moment ago, the largest Federal increase in spending since Lyndon Johnson. Our friends on the other side of the aisle often cite that 9/11 and the war on terrorism are responsible for this. There is no doubt it is true that the new threats to our security has caused a need for new spending in the areas of defense and homeland security. But even if we exclude those spending increases, we have still seen under this administration and Republican majority the largest spending increase in the past 30 years. I find it ironic that the party of small government has overseen a 33 percent growth in government during the President's first term. As a recent publication by the Cato Institute says, the GOP establishment in Washington today has become a defender of big government. Mr. Speaker, maybe this is just a result of partisan politics during the Clinton administration, but Republicans and Democrats were forced to work together if they were going to get anything done. What happened? From fiscal year 1998 to 2001, we actually had budget surpluses and a projected overall surplus in the range of $5 trillion. Even if we remove the Social Security surpluses from the total budget line for these years, we still had budget surpluses in fiscal year 1999 and 2000, and the largest budget deficit we saw was $32 billion. Under this administration, we have seen on-budget deficits as high as $567 billion, a remarkable turnaround. In my humble opinion, the Republican majority has been reckless and spent the taxpayers' money like drunken sailors on a weekend pass. Mr. Speaker, it is time to resolve that pass and to revoke it and take a stand for all of the American people because, sadly, the Members of Congress currently serving are not going to have to pay off this debt. Instead, our children and grandchildren will have to pay it off. Our soldiers who are serving us so bravely in Iraq will come back home and find they have to foot the bill for the war we sent them off to fight; and this is simply wrong. It is simply immoral. There is hope. It is called the Blue Dog Coalition 12-point plan. And I am up here to ask for an up-or-down vote. We have heard that a lot recently, have we not? An up-or-down vote for the people of America. An up-or-down vote, because ultimately this issue does not just affect people in certain districts. It affects all Americans. So I am here for the American people asking for an up-or-down vote. I want an up-or-down vote on H.R. 903, the Fiscal Accountability and Honesty Act of 2005. This will, among other things, extend PAYGO that expired in 2002 and close the loopholes on emergency spending. I want an up-or-down vote on H.R. 121, a package of rules changes for the House. These changes will require a rollcall vote on raising the debt ceiling and give Members of Congress 3 days so that we can actually read and study the bills we vote on. I mean, if the Republican majority is so confident that the legislation they send to the floor is right for the American people, should it not withstand 3 days' public scrutiny? What is there to hide? Why not an up-or-down vote on 121? I want an up-or-down vote on House Joint Resolution 22, the Balanced Budget Amendment. This amendment has already been passed by the House as part of the GOP Contract with America. Now, the Blue Dogs, in an effort to provide security for our current and future retirees, have added language to protect Social Security benefits from being cut to balance the budget. There are 49 States in this Nation that require a balanced budget. If it is good enough for them, it is good enough for me. Mr. Speaker, I will repeat this three or four times. Give us an up- or-down vote on budget restraint issues, measures that have been introduced, get them out of the committee, bring them on this floor. Give us an up-or-down vote, an up-or-down vote. If it is good enough for judges and Presidential appointees, it is good enough for all 200- some-odd million people who live in this country. So to the majority on this floor, I ask you, an up-or-down vote. Now is the time. It is time to get it done.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud recognition of Dr. Ivan Raley. Dr. Raley is a native Tennessean who has selflessly served the people and the State of Tennessee as a pastor for the last 30 years. My local church, the First Baptist Church in Byrdstown, has been blessed as the home of Dr. Raley for the last 3 years, and today, following in the tradition established by Benjamin Franklin and our Founding Fathers, Dr. Raley delivered the opening prayer to the United States House of Representatives. In addition to serving as pastor of my local church, Ivan Raley works as regional vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, Inc. The Tennessee Baptist Children's Home was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1891 to provide residential care to orphaned, neglected, abandoned and abused children while helping them become whole persons in the name of the Lord. In my opinion, Dr. Raley is a rare individual who truly believes in serving his fellow man. By tirelessly spreading the message of faith, hope and caring for others, Dr. Raley has been able to help thousands of Tennesseans seek comfort in the Lord's arms. Dr. Raley understands that words like morals, values and faith are not just punch words that should be used shallowly for personal gain, but rather, they should be the foundation and driving force of every human life. Dr. Raley knows that love lives in the heart of every individual, whether they be friend or stranger, and that when we know and accept this love, we will understand the blessing of life that God has given us. I thank Dr. Raley for all he as done for me and my family and all he continues to do for the orphaned children in Tennessee.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, last week the Pro-Life Democratic Members of Congress introduced an abortion reduction proposal called the 95-10 Initiative. This comprehensive proposal of 15 different policy programs should reduce the number of abortions in America by 95 percent over the next 10 years by providing women with support, information, and viable alternatives to abortion. The initiative is a clear indication that pro-life Democrats in Congress, in conjunction with the Democrats for Life of America, are firmly committed to reducing abortions in America. By looking into the different reasons that women choose abortion rather than just politicizing the issue, we have been able to come up with a comprehensive and commonsense initiative that would empower women and encourage them to choose life. The 95-10 Initiative seeks to eliminate the pressures that lead to abortions through various measures, including adoption tax credits, abortion referral information, adoption referral information, and fully funding the special nutrition WIC program. Additionally, the initiative calls for expanding insurance coverage to pregnant women and to newborns, and removes pregnancy as a preexisting health condition. I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join the pro-life Democrats in supporting a comprehensive 95-10 abortion reduction bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, I would like to commend my colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), for her constant work on the Science Committee and these particular areas for the work that she has done over the last several years and her consistent leadership in support of the high-end computing. I also thank my colleagues in the House for passing the previous version of this bill in the 108th Congress, and hopefully the Senate will pass this bill also in a timely manner. H.R. 28 aims to restore U.S. world leadership in the area of high- performance computing. Supercomputing is a large national effort spread out over seven Federal agencies. This resolution seeks to better coordinate those agencies' efforts and to improve both short-term and long-term planning. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory near my district is a center of national leadership and high-performance computing. Oak Ridge is the Department of Energy's largest science and energy laboratory. This lab is involved in many innovative research projects, including renewable energy, materials science, national security, and bioscience. I am proud that the Oak Ridge National Lab near my district stands to become the home of the world's most powerful supercomputer. I envision thousands of scientists traveling to Oak Ridge to use the computing facilities. The discoveries they make will change how we diagnose and cure diseases, heat and cool our homes, travel from place to place, and defend our liberties in time of warfare. H.R. 28 will strengthen and streamline our national efforts in the areas of high-performance computing. I commend this bill and recommend this bill to my colleagues and ask for their support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I certainly understand the gentleman from California's (Mr. Sherman) efforts in an attempt to amend the bill in the committee process. As the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) has explained, however, there are other areas today in the policy of NSF that literally would look into the particular issues that he has raised with his amendment. As a result of that, both the ranking member and the chairman agreed that this legislation is what we need to be considering today. So I strongly support this bill. I think that it is good for America. I think it is good perhaps even for the world; but, certainly, it is good in the areas where research and science is a major part of offering opportunities and options for those of us who live in this country. So on that effort, I again make my comments of being sorry that the gentleman from California's (Mr. Sherman) efforts were not successful in the committee. Actually, last year, we did consider that amendment, and it actually passed the House floor; but I recommend strongly to the Members of the House passage of this bill, strongly support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of individuals in Tennessee who are providing a much needed training program for the law enforcement community. Columbia State Community College under the direction of its President, Dr. Rebecca Hawkins, in partnership with the Governor's Highway Safety Office directed by the distinguished Charles Taylor, along with countless others have worked together to institute a Spanish Language Training program for police officers. These two organizations have joined in the development of the Tennessee Criminal Justice Language Academy. The Academy is housed at Columbia State Community College and provides Spanish language training for police officers in Tennessee. The program is funded through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As you know, Mr. Speaker, the Hispanic population is surging across our nation. A large number of Latino and Hispanic individuals have made their way into Tennessee. Both urban and rural communities in Tennessee have seen a great influx of people with Hispanic origin. This causes new demands on the social institutions of our state and it has created a major need in the law enforcement community. Law enforcement officers must be able to communicate with the citizens in their communities or they will not be effective in carrying out their duties. In large cities, police departments sometimes have officers who can speak the diverse languages of the citizens, but this is not the case in most areas of Tennessee due to the rural composition of our state. Most law enforcement in Tennessee are English speaking only, which causes many disadvantages for both the officers and the Hispanic citizens in the community. Verbal communication is crucial for police officers in traffic stop situations. The officer and driver must have a common understanding and way to communicate. If not, a barrier develops leaving both the officer and the Hispanic citizen with few options to resolve the issue. Officer safety becomes a problem in these type cases as well. In traffic stops where the driver is suspect of being impaired, it is extremely important for the officer to be able to communicate with the individual. The commands for the NHTSA approved Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) must be given by the officer and understood by the suspect to be effective. If the officer cannot speak and understand Spanish and the suspect cannot speak and understand English the then the SFST is not effective in assisting the officer in making the decision to arrest or not. This leaves two scenarios: the officer allows the impaired driver to leave without arrest, or an innocent driver is arrested. The breech of communication causes both actions. Tennessee has not overlooked these problems. The Hispanic population is already in our communities, and we have started providing training to law enforcement agencies so that a bridge of communication can be built. The Spanish for Law Enforcement Program has trained over 1000 officers thus far. This joint program by the Tennessee Governor's Highway Safety Office and Columbia State Community College serves as a model for other states that are experiencing the same need. Simply put, this program provides officers in Tennessee with a necessary new tool to better serve their communities.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of playwright Tennessee Williams and the University of the South. In 1983, following the death of the great American playwright, Tennessee Williams, the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, received the most generous bequest of the playwright in honor of his grandfather, Walter E. Dakin. Since then the university, known as Sewanee, utilizing the income from the bequest and subsequent revenues from the hundreds of productions of Tennessee's award-winning plays, has established the Sewanee Writers Conference, which supports the work of emerging writers in all disciplines. In addition, the university has constructed the Tennessee Williams Center, a monument to the vision and craftsmanship of the late playwright, where each year gifted young writers develop their talents aided by artists from all over the world who visit the center as Tennessee Williams Fellows in Theatre. This month, the Tennessee Williams Festival, an annual event featuring new works by established artists as well as students in the university, will present the premieres of two important theatrical productions. The first, The Poetry of Tennessee Williams, will bring to dramatic life the poems of the great playwright. In the poems, we often hear ``Tom'' Williams at his most intimate and lyrical. Audiences will discover this powerful aspect of Williams' artistic life, very much the work of a master dramatist and storyteller. The second, The Cherokee Lottery, is adapted from the book of the same name by William Jay Smith, a former Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress and a student friend of Tennessee Williams at Washington University in St. Louis. This new work for the theatre commemorates one of the saddest and most shameful moments in American History: the ``Trail of Tears'', the forced removal of the Native Americans of the Southeast to Oklahoma in the 1830's. Both works illustrate the commitment of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of the South to further the legacy of one of America's greatest artists, Tennessee Williams.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Pomeroy substitute to House Resolution 8. And I argue that anyone in this body who is currently concerned about our ballooning national debt should vote in favor of the substitute. The Pomeroy substitute is fair, and it covers those who need tax exemption now, America's small businessmen and America's farmers. It is clear from the debate today that the majority of Members in this body believe that our farmers and small businessmen and -women need relief from the estate tax, and I will do all I can to ensure that these hardworking Americans get their due tax relief. In my opinion, the Pomeroy substitute does this by increasing the estate tax exemption level in 2006 by $3 million for individuals and $6 million for couples. Additionally, from 2009 forward, the tax exemption level would be $3.5 million for individuals and $7 million for couples. This will fully cover 99.8 percent, 99.8 percent of all the estates in this country. Only two out of every 1,000 would not be totally covered. I know my friends on the other side of the aisle desperately want to make sure that the Paris Hiltons of America are fully covered, but they have done pretty good the last 100 years; and I am sure under the Pomeroy bill in the future they will continue to do pretty good. Additionally, the substitute bill eliminates the liability for tax on gains accrued before death. This is incredibly important to those children who may decide to sell the small farms and businesses they have just inherited. By using the stepped-up basis to calculate the value on an estate at a time of death, the substitute bill is actually making the Tax Code simpler and less cumbersome. It seems to me that this is important to us. It is important to the President, and it is important to many of us in Congress. I will do all that I need to do in order to support estate tax relief for farmers and small business owners in my district. But would it not be a great message to send to the Senate and to the American people by providing them with the estate tax relief they want and need without breaking the bank? It seems to me that it is the fiscally conservative thing to do. I truly believe we have got to stop this liberal policy of borrowing and spending. To my friends on the right who believe that any estate tax is so vile that you took your polling advice and decided to start calling it the death tax, you should read Leviticus 25 containing God's message to Moses that every 50 years, called the Jubilee, all possessions must be returned to the original owners. I invite you to read that scripture. You had a chance in 2002 to increase the benefits by giving the tax relief to the estates of all Americans. Why did you not? It clearly was not to keep the budget balanced. Was it political? Every year around tax time and every 2 years around election time, you come back with permanent tax repeal. I think now is the time to do it. Let us get it done. The Pomeroy substitute bill is a bill we need to send to the Senate. It is a fair bill. It is fiscally responsible. It should be the House's bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Mr. Paul Rogers, who recently passed away following an extended illness. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and community. The following is a brief biography of Brother Rogers and some of the accomplishments of his long and fruitful life: Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. His father, Andy W. Rogers, was a Deacon at the West End Church and Trustee for the purchase of the Central building in 1941. The Rogers family were charter members at Central (McMinnville). It was here Paul received his early training and encouragement to enter the ministry. Upon receiving his baccalaureate degree from David Lipscomb University in Nashville and master's degree from Harding Graduate School of Religion in Searcy, AR, he embarked on a long and fruitful career in the ministry. Brother Roger's first sermon was delivered at Central Church of Christ in Birmingham. He began preaching in November, 1952 every Sunday at the Old Jefferson Church of Christ in Smyrna, Tennessee and preached there until graduation from Lipscomb in 1956. He worked as Associate Minister at Church Street Church in Lewisburg, Tennessee 8 months in 1956 and moved to Centerville Church of Christ in January 1957. Brother Rogers was the Minister of the Centerville Church of Christ, Centerville, Tennessee for more than 48 years. No preacher in the fellowship of Churches of Christ has a longer tenure at his congregation and at no rural church quite as large as the Centerville church according to Jim McInteer, president of 21 st Century Publishing, a book publisher affiliated with the Churches of Christ. In these years, worship attendance has grown from 350 to 700; annual contribution from $19,000 to $600,000. The congregation has built a new church building, new church camp valued at $1,000,000; off-street parking for 300 cars; $200,000 Outreach Center for benevolence and senior citizens work; a 75-unit, $2,500,000 apartment complex, Tulipwood for senior citizens, and a new $1,200,000 Educational and Fellowship Complex recently constructed. He has also conducted over 800 funeral services in Hickman County, Tennessee. He was the first president of the Centerville Elementary PTA, past Chairman of Hickman County Library Board, served on Bluegrass Regional Library Board, chairman of Centerville Beautiful Commission, former President of Centerville Kiwanis Club, served on City Industrial Board, served on the Board of Trustees at Clover Bottom Developmental Center for the Retarded in Nashville, Tennessee, and served on Board of First Farmers and Merchants Bank, Centerville, Tennessee. Brother Rogers was awarded Honorary Membership in Hickman County Jaycees for service to the community, selected as Alumnus of the Year in 1975 at Harding Graduate School of Religion, voted Centerville Man of the Year for 1978, selected as Alumnus of the Decade at David Lipscomb College in 1982, received the Distinguished Christian Service Award from Harding University 1988, honored by Tennessee State Legislature in 1983 for long ministry and service in Centerville, honored by Tennessee House of Representatives in 1992, honored in 1997 by Tennessee State Senate on 40th Anniversary with the Centerville Church for the longest full-time tenure among churches of Christ in Tennessee history, selected in December 1999 by the Gospel Advocate as one of ``100 Trailblazers of the 20th Century'' among Churches of Christ, and in 2004 received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Hickman County Chamber of Commerce to name a few. Brother has given lectures at David Lipscomb University, Faulkner University, Freed-Hardeman University, Abilene Christian University, Oklahoma Christian University, Harding University, Harding Graduate School of Religion, Western Christian College, Blue Ridge Encampment, Training for Service Series in Chattanooga, North Alabama Training for Service Series in Florence, Alabama, Training for Service Series in Memphis, Training Series in Evansville, Indiana. Yosemite Bible Encampment, Yellowstone Bible Encampment. He served on the Board of David Lipscomb University 1986-2003 and was secretary of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation at David Lipscomb University. His minister includes; touring Israel and studying archaeology there in 1969, working on the London, England Campaign in 1963, and preached in India in 1975. He also traveled and preached behind the Iron Curtain in 1977, made three trips to the Holy Land, and frequent mission trips to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Brother Rogers was the author of the following books and booklets: My God and My Service; My God and My Marriage; Things Surely Believed Among Us (4th printing in 2004); Let the Earth Hear His Voice; When Freedom is Gone; Comments on Revelation; Building Up The Church In A Small Town; God Give Us Christian Homes. His most recent books are I Have Much People In This City (depicting 125-year history of the Centerville Church); and These Forty Years (a biography of his ministry with the Centerville Church). He accomplished all these things in life while at the same time being a loving husband to the former Judy Johns and father to four children and six grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Paul Rogers today. His dedication and selflessness to his community are examples to all who wish to lead. All the honors and awards that Brother Rogers has received in his life still do not do justice to recognize the contribution this man has made to his community and the world. Paul will be missed very much by all who knew him.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, after 30 years of dedicated and distinguished federal service, Betty Loy will be retiring from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During that time she supported six CDC Directors and seven Deputy Directors. Beginning her career in the federal government with the Atomic Energy Commission in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Loy later came to CDC's Office of Director as a part-time employee. Following the resignation of Director Dr. Bill Foege (1977-1983), Loy was asked to work in the Director's office till a new Director was designated and staff were selected. Having enjoyed her part-time position in the Director's office Betty applied for the full-time position, and was subsequently selected. In June 2002, after nearly two decades of service as the Special Assistant to the Director, Betty left to become a Management and Program Analyst working as the liaison with partner organizations and visitors. It is safe to say Loy has been the voice and face of CDC to a who's who of public health leaders, Atlanta community leaders, Congressional dignitaries, distinguished visitors and even TV and movie stars. She is virtually a walking, talking history book of CDC. Betty has said of her job, ``I've been privileged to work for some of the best people ever.'' Well, Betty, the same could be said about you. Former CDC Director, James Mason, MPH, MD, said the feeling is mutual, ``Betty Loy, rightfully referred to as `CDC's Ultimate Ambassador' will leave a lonely gap at CDC. Her skills, competence, in-depth, knowledge, perspective and warm pleasant personality made her a valuable partner to me and a series of other CDC Directors and Deputies.'' In retirement, Betty plans to travel, spend time with friends, family, her children and grandchildren, and work on family genealogy. We wish Betty all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for years of service to our Nation.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, Sam and Betty Kennedy of Columbia started their life together on November 6, 1954, at the Methodist Church, in the small Tennessee community of Culleoka. They reached the 50 year milestone on November 6, 2004, and celebrated this occasion with family and friends at Greenway Farms, their home for more than 40 years, a few weeks later. Sam, the fifth of eight children, grew up the son of a dentist and farmer, Dr. Henry Grady and Annie Porter Delk Kennedy, farm wife and teacher. An attorney and newspaper publisher, Sam has served as general sessions judge, district attorney and county executive of Maury County. Raised the daughter of Columbia Daily Herald Editor and Publisher John and Elizabeth Read Ridley Finney, Betty attended Agnes Scott College and Emory University's School of Journalism. According to family lore, Sam and Betty met on a street in Columbia in 1953 when Betty was soliciting newspaper advertising. During the following months their courtship continued and they fell in love. After the passing of Betty's father John Finney, Sam left his law career and with Betty led the Daily Herald, as publisher until 1983 when the paper was sold. Today, they own and operate the Lawrence County Advocate, the Waverly News Democrat, the News Leader, and the Buffalo River Review. Over their 50 year marriage, Sam and Betty have been blessed with two children and five grandchildren. Sam Kennedy, Jr. is an assistant U.S. Attorney and is married to Mary Susan Betty Kennedy, a business professor at Columbia State Community College. Their son, Sam Kennedy III is a junior at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Their daughter, Berry, is a freshman at Yale. Elizabeth Kennedy Blackstone is the editor of the Parsons News Leader. She is married to Billy Blackstone, a partner with the law firm of Stokes, Bartholomew, Evans and Petree. The Blackstones have three children--Emory, Jack, and Eliza. We all should take a moment and applaud their accomplishment and their commitment to one another.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Albert Routier Vaughan passed away on December 25, 2004, after a distinguished career spanning 42 years with the U.S. Secret Service and Vanderbilt University and a well-earned retirement. He was a resident of Highlands, North Carolina, at the time of his death. Mr. Vaughan was born Albert Pouletaud in Paris, France, but became friends with a detachment of U.S. Marines in World War I. These marines were instrumental in getting him to the United States. Ted Vaughan, a sergeant in the detachment, gave young Albert instructions on how to reach the Vaughan household in Nashville. Ted Vaughan was a law enforcement officer. He helped young Albert, who became a Vaughan, with his career as a U.S. Secret Service Agent. Mr. Vaughan served with distinction in his 32 year career with the Secret Service. He received many distinguished awards, including the prestigious Albert Gallatin award. He served ably under five presidents from Hoover to Kennedy. After his retirement from the Secret Service, Mr. Vaughan served for 10 years as Director of Safety for Vanderbilt University in Nashville. His experience in the Secret Service proved invaluable for his position at Vanderbilt. He greatly enhanced the safety and security of the university and its environs during his tenure. Mr. Vaughan was laid to rest on December 29, 2004, in his adopted hometown of Nashville. We are grateful that Mr. Vaughan as a young man adopted this country as his own and that those U.S. Marines were able to secure his passage. We are thankful for his long and distinguished service to our country and to Vanderbilt and for his life of service. We extend our heart-felt condolences to his family.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the Clarkrange High School Chess Team for winning the 2004 National K-12 Grade Championships Chess Tournament. This marks the second national title for the Clarkrange High School Chess team in the past 5 years, winning the 2000 title in Charlotte. The tournament, sponsored by the United States Chess Federation, was held in Orlando, FL, at Disney World's Dolphin Resort. Over 1,500 chess players representing 44 States and hundreds of schools participated in this tournament. The competition pits each grade level against itself. Clarkrange entered three teams in the competition. The ninth grade team took the national championship at that level, the 10th grade team just missed the championship by half a point and took second place, two CHS assistant coaches took third place in the collegiate competition. Members of the Clarkrange chess squad include Coach Michael Cross, Assistant Coaches Matthew Human and Joe Wright, students Andrew Simonton, Justin England, Ryan Hunley, Michael Davis, Simmy Jenkins, Chris Snow, Coty Phillips, and Dillon McCann. These young men will have something to be proud of for the rest of their lives. May they continue to challenge themselves and excel in everything they do in life. They have made Fentress County, Tennessee very proud. Congratulations, Clarkrange High School Chess Team.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Pulaski Citizen for its contributions to the citizens of Giles County, Tennessee. The Pulaski Citizen is the longest-running newspaper in the history of Pulaski and Giles County, spanning 150 years from 1854 to 2004. It's also one of the oldest continuously operating in the State of Tennessee. Its weekly visits into the homes of Giles Countians have brought national, state and local news. The Pulaski Citizen was especially crucial in the days before radio, television and the internet as the only news media available to so many people. It has served the business community equally as well by printing the advertisements that promote these businesses, often contributing greatly to the success of so many of the hundreds of varied businesses that have called Giles County home. Community improvement and growth has been a primary function of the Pulaski Citizen under the leadership of the McCord, Romine, Smith and Lake Families. Through the editorial urgings of the Pulaski Citizen, community life in Pulaski and Giles County has been greatly improved by such things as a water works, a fire department, improved telephone service, new and better schools, an outstanding college, playgrounds for our children, and hundreds of other benefits for our community. The Pulaski Citizen is the oldest existing business in Pulaski, Tennessee. It has been in continuous publication since December 16, 1854, except during the Civil War. Pulaski was occupied by Union troops from the spring of 1862 until the end of the war. Most, if not all, businesses in Pulaski were forced to close during the Union occupation. Publication resumed on January 5, 1866 and has been continuous since that time. In honor of the 150th birthday of the Pulaski Citizen, one page each week during 2004 has been dedicated to taking an historic look at how the paper covered current events that are now the ``popular'' record of our history with staff writer Claudia Johnson selecting material for weekly installments and for a book in commemoration of the sesquicentennial.

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk and discussion in the media recently about our country's morals which played an important role, I think, to many in our recent elections. I personally welcome these discussions, but I am saddened by the fact that there has been little talk about the moral values of the government's borrow-and-spend economic policies. Tonight we will have a vote to raise the debt ceiling for the third time in the last 3 years. Why? Because Congress has been content to manage the American taxpayers' money in a way that immorally disregards the well-being of our Nation's economic future. I believe it is immoral for this country to keep racking up debt as far as the eye can see and to pass it on to our children and our grandchildren. I think it is immoral to borrow and spend and ask our soldiers to make the ultimate sacrifice while we refuse to make even marginal sacrifices in our fiscal policies. Mr. Speaker, last week on Thursday, November 11, the 278th Regimental Combat Unit left for Iraq. Many of these brave men and women of this National Guard unit come from Tennessee and from my congressional district. I was able to visit the 278th in Fort Shelby, Mississippi, the day they went off to defend our country. I wish them luck and offer my prayers for their safe return home. Now I wish our soldiers' government would take the steps necessary to curb this deficit spending, to reinstate true budget enforcement measures like PAYGO, and to pay down this Nation's debt, instead of continuing to raise the ceiling, so that our troops when they return home, they are not left with footing the bill for a war they so bravely fought. As we continue to discuss morality in America, I hope we will not continue to ignore the immoralities of our current fiscal policies.