Terry Everett

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the en bloc amendment which includes my amendment relating to the Comanche helicopter program. This should have been included in the report accompanying the bill, but the language did not fit neatly within the parameters of one subcommittee since it involves procurement, R&D, and National Guard issues. By way of background, the Army's Comanche program has been restructured four times over the past 10 years purely for budgetary considerations. As a result of pushing the program off to the right, the development of the T-800/801 engine has outpaced that of the airframe. This production gap will give the Army a unique opportunity to initiate a number of risk reduction and cost avoidance initiatives. By placing the Comanche engine into Army Guard Huey's (UH-1's), the Army can validate logistics support and operational data of the engine. This effort will also sustain the T-800/801 industrial base until the Comanche comes on line, which is estimated to save $107 million. The second feature of this effort is that it provides the National Guard with the ability to procure a light utility helicopter [LUH] that is far superior to the current Huey's in range, payload, and performance. My amendment is very straight forward and involves no additional funding; it merely states support of the Army's efforts to minimize costs and technical risks of the very important Comanche program.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to pay tribute to an outstanding woman, teacher, and citizen. Mary M. Norris of Opp, Alabama was awarded the Opp Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year Award for 1997. Mary Norris has been serving and contributing to our community as a teacher for the past 26 years. I would like to commend her on her commitment to educating our children and strengthening our Nation. However, the Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year Award is not the only area in which Mary Norris has been recognized for her outstanding work. She has also received the South Highland's Teacher of the Year Award, as well as the WSFA-TV's Class Act Award. She has also served as the Science, Reading, and Math Curriculum chairman and has been a participant in the Space Camp for Teachers. I would like to thank Mary Norris for her active involvement in the field of education. She is not only aiding our children, but she is helping the community as a whole.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, today, four residents of the second congressional district will be inducted into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame. Alabama holds a special place in the history of aviation as the site of the world's first flight school. These distinguished Americans occupy a special place in the Aviation Hall of Fame due to their valor and intrepid mastery of the skies. William R. Lawley, Jr., colonel, USAF retired, of Montgomery earned his position in aviation history for his courage under fire as a B-17 bomber pilot in World War II. His bravery and loyalty to a wounded comrade enabled him to stay with his aircraft in the face of an overwhelming enemy attack. For his meritorious service, he received the Medal of Honor for Heroism. N. Floyd McGowin, Jr., of Chapman served his nation in the Marine Corps and Reserve in the 1950's. An expert in forest management, he pioneered a technique for aerial mapping of forests. McGowin is a lover of flying, beginning at the age of 16. To date, he has logged 13,000 hours in at least 58 aircraft, and currently manages McGowin Field, in Chapman. Michael J. Novosel, chief warrant officer, USA retired, of Enterprise is well known to the Army aviation community in the Wiregrass for his brave helicopter rescue of 29 American soldiers while under a hail of enemy fire in Vietnam. This risk of his own life earned him the Medal of Honor for Heroism. Novosel shepherded more than 5,500 soldiers to safety while a medical evacuation pilot in Vietnam. His remarkable military and aviation career extends 44 years including service as a B- 29 bomber pilot in World War II. William S. Wilson, Jr., of Dothan began his aviation experience as a cadet in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1918. He served as an executive officer in the 96th Bomber Squadron at Langley Field, VA. Wilson was among the first pilots to fly crosscountry at night in formation, and he was a flight instructor to Carl Ben Eielson, the first pilot to fly across the Arctic Ocean in 1928. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate these fine Alabamians for their achievements as pillars of the aviation community. They are true patriots.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a distinguished businessman and outstanding citizen of my congressional district, Mr. William Woodrow Carter of Brundidge, AL. Mr. Carter has been honored as Alabama Small Business Person of the Year for 1997 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Woodrow Carter is one of 53 honorees selected from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands and Guam based on criteria stability, financial strength, leadership resulting in business growth, ability to overcome adversity, response to changes in the market, and community and business citizenship. Woodrow, together with his brother Charlie, founded Carter Brothers in 1936 with 10 employees. Today, his business has grown to employ 200 people and has diversified from the production of agricultural equipment to lawn mowers and garden equipment to go-karts. But that's not the real award winning story. After Woodrow's business suffered extensive damage in a 1989 tornado, he didn't choose to close it down, but rather enlisted the support of his family and employees to rebuild. Remarkably, portions of his business were up and running within a few days. Today, Carter Brothers Manufacturing of Brundidge is an example of a prosperous, ever adaptive small business, which continues to provide quality to the customer and solid employment to the community. This is quite a feat when you consider the financial, market and government- driven obstacles which often block small business development. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to congratulate my constituent, Mr. William Woodrow Carter for his contribution to Alabama's economic well-being. He deserves the mantle of Alabama's Small Business Person of the Year.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to bring to the attention of this House the accomplishments of a fine group of students from my congressional district. On March 22, 1997, the Montgomery Academy Forensics Team garnered the State forensics championship at the Alabama Forensic Educators Association State Tournament. This represents the third such title in a row for Montgomery Academy and is quite an achievement when you consider that the Montgomery Academy Forensics Team has only been in existence since 1991. The school's enthusiasm for and dedication to forensic excellence can be measured in the growth of its forensic team's membership, from 15 to 140 in just 6 years. I wish to congratulate all the members of the Montgomery Academy Forensics Team for their achievements and adherence to the highest standards. They can be proud of their work and we can be proud to know that forensic medicine will be enhanced through the contributions of outstanding Alabama young people such as these.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding figure in southern agriculture and a dear friend, Gene Ragan. Progressive Farmer magazine has recently selected Gene as its Man of the Year in Alabama agriculture. This is a prestigious honor only bestowed to agriculture's best and I can think of no one more suited to receive it than Gene. Gene Ragan is an institution in the southern farming community, regularly hosting what many believe to be the Nation's longest running local television farm show. For viewers of WTVY-TV 4 in Dothan, AL, Gene has been a friend and an agriculture advocate for 38 years on his ``Noon Farm Report.'' As Progressive Farmer notes: ``Ragan has served with distinction as the voice of agriculture for many who no longer have day-to-day ties to farming.'' His audience today is considerably more urban than in 1959. Gene's ties to agriculture actually extended back 50 years, beginning his career as an extension agent in Grady County, GA, in 1946. In addition to farm broadcasting, Gene Ragan has ably served as farm consultant to Southtrust Bank in Dothan, and has used his expertise to organize the annual agriculture leadership conference which draws hundreds from across the Southeast. A friend and ambassador for the family farm, Gene Ragan is a genuine lover of the land and this country. No one I know is a more credible advocate for environmental stewardship than Gene Ragan. His efforts on behalf of land grant colleges and research programs are also well known. Always looking to the future, Gene is a consistent supporter of youth in agriculture, namely 4-H and FAA programs in the Tristate region of southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia, and northwest Florida. I am personally indebted to and will never forget the help that Gene Ragan gave this young newspaper reporter many years ago. Gene Ragan is agriculture in the Wiregrass, and I congratulate him on his award and his continuing remarkable career in service to the farmer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, this month the city of Montgomery, AL marks an important milestone; two decades of courageous, visionary leadership embodied by a remarkable public servant, Mayor Emory Folmar. To those of us native to South Alabama, the words Emory Folmar speak for themselves. They evoke images of strong, effective leadership; courageous political stands; and, an undaunted spirit of patriotism and loyalty to home and country. Mayor Emory Folmar, bolstered by a uniquely charming and indispensable political partner, his wife Anita, has forged a legendary record of service to his community and his beloved State that any high public official would envy. Under his two-decade-old watch, Montgomery has become a bustling and beautiful capital city for which all of Alabama can be proud. He has tackled crime and city service problems head-on and in-person, earning the respect of city workers and citizens alike. His embrace of Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base has ensured that the military not only maintains a high profile presence in central Alabama, but that the Air force retains one of the very best educational, training, and software support facilities in the country. In reviewing his record of public office, it is fitting to note that Emory Folmar began his career as mayor by defeating no less than 44 candidates without a run-off. That was on April 12, 1977, and that same indomitable character lives on today, even more determined than ever to put Montgomery, AL first. As a personal friend, I have no doubt that Emory Folmar will pay little attention to this anniversary and will instead continue being the man of the people he truly is. As long as Montgomery's best days lie ahead--and they will because of his vigilance--Emory Folmar will be at his best, serving the public. I congratulate Emory and Anita Folmar and I look forward to 20 more years of their brand of successful leadership for Alabama. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I offer tribute today to a tireless public servant and advocate of the elderly in southeast Alabama, Mr. William Glover. William Glover retires this year from his post as executive director of the Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging in Dothan. This vital organization sponsors the Area Agency on Aging and the Medicaid Waiver Program in a seven county area of the Wiregrass. Mr. Glover has been the executive director since the Alabama Regional Council on Aging's founding in 1986. William Glover's name has become synonymous with voluntarism and compassion for the elderly in south Alabama. Through his years of service, he has been instrumental in benchmark efforts like the acquisition of 52 vans, badly needed for elderly transportation programs, and the establishment of the Older Americans' Day celebration which is now in its eighth year with some 3,000 persons in annual attendance. Mr. Glover's interest in the welfare of the aging shows no limit as he has worked closely with private enterprise, civic and local organizations to provide services where Federal or State funds were not available. His activities range from working on an elderly housing plan with AARP, to assisting utility companies in affording vulnerable senior citizens with reduced rates. A member of numerous area health and elderly advisory boards, William Glover was inducted into the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in 1993. To be sure, he leaves his successor with a very large pair of shoes to fill. Knowing William, I'm convinced that his concern for our seniors and community will not end with his retirement. I congratulate him for a remarkable career of selfless generosity, and I wish he and his family the very best in the years ahead.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, today I call attention to a little known occurrence that brings to a close a 179-year-old chapter in American and Alabama history. I'm speaking of the closing of the historic Burnt Corn Post Office in rural Conecuh County, AL. On this day, the Burnt Corn Post Office stamps its last letter. Looking like a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting, the small, single window, wood-paneled post office, tucked away in the corner of a general store in Burnt Corn has become a local landmark. But it is more than just a relic, it is a link to America's adventurous past. Located on what was once known as the Federal Road, the Burnt Corn Post Office was first established in 1817 and served weary travelers on their way to America's growing western frontier. According to the Conecuh Countian, Burnt Corn was first mentioned in the acts of Congress establishing post roads, authorizing a post road from ``Fort Mitchell, by Fort Bainbridge, Fort Jackson, Burnt Corn Spring, Fort Claiborne and the town of Jackson to St. Stephens.'' When it was created, the Burnt Corn Post Office was located along a route from Washington City, by way of Athens, GA to New Orleans in the new Louisiana Territory. The Burnt Corn Post Office possibly served many famous persons, among them Francis Scott Key, Andrew Jackson, and Vice President Aaron Burr while on their official travels. The Burnt Corn Post Office, once a vital communications link for frontier travelers of the 19th century, is now destined for the history books. It is a time capsule from a simpler and more adventurous past when horseback riders and stagecoaches conveyed citizens of an ambitious adolescent republic called the United States of America.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to welcome to this body a good friend and distinguished clergyman from my congressional district. Dr. Jerry Spencer, pastor of Ridgecrest Baptist Church of Dothan, AL, is well known throughout the South for his dedication to God and for his active evangelism, which has taken him to such farflung places as Russia and India. A native of Tennessee, a graduate of the University of Tennessee and the world's largest seminary, the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX, Dr. Spencer has pastored for the past 40 years while ministering in over 30 countries. Dr. Spencer has recorded four albums, authored numerous books, and has penned articles appearing in many popular Christian periodicals. Furthermore, he is the past president of the National Conference of Southern Baptists and a current member of the executive board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Since 1988, he has made Dothan, AL, his home, where he is a senior pastor of the nearly 3,000-member Ridgecrest Baptist Church, one of the South's fastest growing churches. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to welcome my friend, Jerry Spencer, to the U.S. House of Representatives, and I join the entire House in thanking him for offering this morning's prayer for this esteemed body.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996. This House-Senate compromise bill contains program improvements for several veterans benefits, and these provisions will make a difference in the lives of thousands of veterans and their survivors. It is a bipartisan bill and I thank all the Members on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Chamber for their support. Section 211 would amend the statute governing burial eligibility to incorporate the regulatory definition of ``minor child.'' Section 212 would provide burial benefits for approximately 300 of the 2,500 veterans who die in State nursing homes yearly, but do not qualify for priority care in Veterans Health Administration facilities. Section 213 would authorize VA to issue a voucher equal to the average cost of a grave liner to survivors who elect a burial vault other than the national cemetery system's provided grave liner. Title four makes change to the administrative functions within the VA Life Insurance Program. Provisions include merging the Retired Reserve Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance programs and extending Veterans' Group Insurance to members of the ready reserve; allowing veterans' group-insureds to convert to a commercial policy at any time; and renaming the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance Program to Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance to make it more gender neutral. Section 502 would limit the clothing allowance for veterans incarcerated for more than 60 days in a penal institution where they receive clothing at no cost to them. Section 503 would authorize an additional $150,000 to the Veterans' Claims Adjudication Commission and extend their final report date to December 31, 1996. Section 504 would establish a pilot program under which contract physicians would provide disability examinations to applicants for VA benefits. The pilot program is anticipated to speed up the examination- gathering process for the adjudication of claims. Section 505 would expand the time period that currently defines the beginning of the Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to February 28, 1961. Benefits would be granted to those eligible veterans that served in theater only from February 1961 thru August 1964 and limit Agent Orange benefits to those who served from January 9, 1962. Section 506 would allow a surviving spouse to retain compensation or pension payments for the full month instead of the end of the month before the veteran died. Section 507 would increase the period of time for which accrued benefits are payable to a surviving spouse from 1 year to 2 years. These are spouses of veterans who die while their claim is being adjudicated. This provision is the result of the committee recognizing the length of time it takes VA to adjudicate claims. Section 508 clarifies that a power of attorney applies to a veterans service organization as a whole unless the veteran designates one person specifically. Section 509 would allow the Board of Veterans' Appeals to provide a copy of a decision to a veteran or veterans' representative by any means where delivery would be at least as fast as it would be if mailed via the U.S. Postal Service. Section 602 would authorize the American Battle Monuments Commission to accept private funds to help maintain those overseas war memorials that are transferred to their care. I am very pleased with the program improvements we are able to offer today. During these fiscally conservative times, we must not forget our veterans and the sacrifices they made on our behalf. I thank the ranking member Lane Evans, for his hard work on behalf of this impressive benefits package and urge my colleagues to support the bill. Lastly, I would like to take this final opportunity of the 104th Congress to publicly commend Chairman Bob Stump and ranking Member Sonny Montgomery for providing the sound bipartisan leadership that is always evident on the VA Committee. The reputation the two of you have within the veterans' community is stellar and one I hope to live up to.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay special tribute today to the accomplishments of a dear friend and fellow newspaper publisher in my congressional district, Mr. Joe Adams of Ozark, AL. Joe Adams is the editor-publisher of the Southern Star, a weekly newspaper in Dale County which occupies a special place in Alabama history. This year the Southern Star turns 129 years old, and as such, is the oldest family-owned newspaper in the State of Alabama. The Southern Star is widely known and respected in southeast Alabama having been created and shepherded by five generations of the Adams Family of Ozark: Joseph A. Adams, founder, 1867-87; Joseph H. Adams, 1887-1907; John Q. Adams Sr., 1907-25; Jesse B. Adams, 1925-52; John Q. Adams Jr., 1952-69; and Joseph H. Adams, 1969-present. The Southern Star was recognized earlier this year for its unique statewide distinction by the Alabama Press Association, an organization of Alabama's newspaper publishers. I have known Joe Adams for many years and am proud to call him a good friend, and I wish to congratulate him for his family's contributions to Alabama journalism.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay special tribute today to the accomplishments of a dear friend and fellow newspaper publisher in my congressional district, Mr. Joe Adams of Ozark, AL. Joe Adams is the editor-publisher of The Southern Star, a weekly newspaper in Dale County which occupies a special place in Alabama history. This year the Southern Star turns 129 years old, and as such, is the oldest family-owned newspaper in the State of Alabama. The Southern Star is widely known and respected in southeast Alabama having been created and shepherded by five generations of the Adams family of Ozark: Joseph A. Adams, founder, 1867-1887; Joseph H. Adams, 1887-1907; John Q. Adams Sr., 1907-1925; Jesse B. Adams, 1925-1952; John Q. Adams Jr., 1952-1969; and Joseph H. Adams, 1969-Present. The Southern Star was recognized earlier this year for its unique state-wide distinction by the Alabama Press Association, an organization of Alabama's newspaper publishers. I have known Joe Adams for many years and am proud to call him a good friend. And I wish to congratulate him for his family's contributions to Alabama journalism.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4000, legislation to restore a number of key provisions relating to the Department of Defense missing persons policy that were modified or deleted in the fiscal year 1997 Defense Authorization Act--H.R. 3230-- as the request of the Clinton Administration and the Senate. I was pleased to be an original cosponsor of this measure which was unanimously reported out of the National Security Committee 45 to 0. Among the provisions included in H.R. 4000, this bill will reestablish the 48-hour time period that a field commander must report a missing person, restores the requirement that the theater commander must assess the adequacy of actions taken to resolve the missing person's status, restores the requirement that the status of persons last known to be alive be reviewed every 3 years for 30 years, and restores criminal penalties for the knowing and willful withholding of information from a missing person's file. The restoration of these provisions are significant in that the United States must never again leave behind American prisoners of war or those declared ``missing in action'' without exhausting every means available to determine the fate of all U.S. servicemen. One of the most important commitments this government can make to those patriots who are willing to fight and die for our freedom, is to ensure that the United States will never abandon them in the hardships of war. Equally important is to instill this commitment with the families of our uniformed personnel. They both must have full confidence that their support from the United States will always be strong, and never fade. This legislation certainly helps us keep this commitment and I urge its adoption.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first thank my colleague, Sonny Callahan, for giving me and the rest of us this opportunity to offer a personal tribute to two of my colleagues who leave this House having earned very distinguished records of service. Tom Bevill, the Fourth District of Alabama, and Glen Browder, of the Third District, are well-known to the people of Alabama for their active leadership to Alabama and the Nation. Tom Bevill is the dean of the Alabama delegation here in Washington, having been elected to this body 30 years ago. Tom's gentlemanly manner, his character, and his great legislative skills have earned him the respect of his peers. Having served as a long-time chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Tom's influence has, as has already been noted here, today has been felt over the entire Nation for decades in major energy research development and public works projects from coast to coast. At home in Alabama, Chairman Bevill led the drive to build the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. We heard Mr. Montgomery talk about signs in his district, in Mississippi, naming something after Mr. Bevill. There is a joke that you cannot travel through a single town in Mr. Bevill's district in north Alabama without seeing the Bevill name on a building somewhere. And while that may be true, let it also be known that there is a Bevill building on the campus of Sparks State Technical College in Eufaula, AL, down in my district in southeast Alabama. Tom and his wife, Lou, will be missed here in Washington after January, but they certainly deserve a much earned rest back home in Jasper. I wish them both the very best, and I know that Tom will have more opportunities to meet with my good friend, our mutual friend, Doug Pearson, for coffee more often. Mr. Speaker, I also want to speak about another departing colleague, Glen Browder of Alabama of the Third District. Glen Browder came to Congress in a special election in 1989 to fill the unexpired term of the late Congressman Bill Nichols. Glen, who sits with me on the House Committee on National Security, quickly proved his mettle in successfully blocking three out of four Base Closure Commission attempts to close Anniston's Fort McClellan Army base. Glen also made a name for himself as a budget hawk by gaining a seat on the House Committee on the Budget and adding focus to the congressional effort to reach a balanced budget. Glen's fiscal conservatism and hard work in support of our Nation's military and veterans will be very, very much missed. I wish him and his wife, Becky, the very best as they return to Jacksonville, AL. Mr. Speaker, both these gentlemen have given great service to Alabama and to the Nation and have extended great courtesy to me personally and I thank them. God go with them.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first thank my colleague, Sonny Callahan, for giving me and the rest of us this opportunity to offer a personal tribute to two of my colleagues who leave this House having earned very distinguished records of service. Tom Bevill, the Fourth District of Alabama, and Glen Browder, of the Third District, are well-known to the people of Alabama for their active leadership to Alabama and the Nation. Tom Bevill is the dean of the Alabama delegation here in Washington, having been elected to this body 30 years ago. Tom's gentlemanly manner, his character, and his great legislative skills have earned him the respect of his peers. Having served as a long-time chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Tom's influence has, as has already been noted here, today has been felt over the entire Nation for decades in major energy research development and public works projects from coast to coast. At home in Alabama, Chairman Bevill led the drive to build the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. We heard Mr. Montgomery talk about signs in his district, in Mississippi, naming something after Mr. Bevill. There is a joke that you cannot travel through a single town in Mr. Bevill's district in north Alabama without seeing the Bevill name on a building somewhere. And while that may be true, let it also be known that there is a Bevill building on the campus of Sparks State Technical College in Eufaula, AL, down in my district in southeast Alabama. Tom and his wife, Lou, will be missed here in Washington after January, but they certainly deserve a much earned rest back home in Jasper. I wish them both the very best, and I know that Tom will have more opportunities to meet with my good friend, our mutual friend, Doug Pearson, for coffee more often. Mr. Speaker, I also want to speak about another departing colleague, Glen Browder of Alabama of the Third District. Glen Browder came to Congress in a special election in 1989 to fill the unexpired term of the late Congressman Bill Nichols. Glen, who sits with me on the House Committee on National Security, quickly proved his mettle in successfully blocking three out of four Base Closure Commission attempts to close Anniston's Fort McClellan Army base. Glen also made a name for himself as a budget hawk by gaining a seat on the House Committee on the Budget and adding focus to the congressional effort to reach a balanced budget. Glen's fiscal conservatism and hard work in support of our Nation's military and veterans will be very, very much missed. I wish him and his wife, Becky, the very best as they return to Jacksonville, AL. Mr. Speaker, both these gentlemen have given great service to Alabama and to the Nation and have extended great courtesy to me personally and I thank them. God go with them.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay homage to a very special lady who is a unique bridge to our Nation's past, Mrs. Alberta Martin. Mrs. Martin is America's only surviving Confederate widow. A resident of the city of Elba in my home county of Coffee in Alabama, Mrs. Martin is the widow of the late William Jasper Martin, who served in the 4th Alabama Infantry from May 1864 to April 1865 defending the Confederate States of America. Private Martin, then just 18, served in the 4th Alabama in the final days of the Civil War. He and his comrades marched to meet the forces of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia, and he was 1 of only 202 members of his 1,400-man infantry to return home. In 1927, Alberta Martin at the age of 20 married her Confederate veteran husband. They were married 5 years until he passed away in 1932. In recognition of Alberta Martin's unique status as America's only remaining Civil War widow, the city of Elba is hosting a day in her honor on September 24. Mrs. Martin is a living tribute to the memory of America's and Alabama's history. I salute Mrs. Alberta Martin and wish her many happy years of life at home in historic Coffee County, AL.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the achievements of Col. Linwood H. ``Woody'' Snell, Jr., upon his retirement from the Air Force after 30 years of exemplary service. Colonel Snell began his career as a distinguished graduate of the North Carolina State Reserve Officer Training School, and will end his service as the commandant of the Air Force Human Resource Management School at the Air University in Montgomery, AL. Among Colonel Snell's many assignments was as the chief of the Inquiries Division and later as the associate director of the Office of Legislative Liaison for the Secretary of the Air Force. His complete understanding of the legislative process, along with his sound judgment, greatly benefited the Congress, the Air Force and the Nation. Colonel Snell continued to demonstrate his leadership abilities when he assumed command of the 363d Combat Support Group at Shaw AFB in South Carolina. His leadership skills were further honed as the Assistant Chief of Staff for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, followed by a stint as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel for the U.S. Air Forces, Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany. Woody has served the Air Force with great distinction, and has earned our respect and gratitude for his many years of service to our Nation's defense. My colleagues and I bid Woody a fond farewell, and wish he and his family the very best as they move on to face new challenges and rewards.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker I rise today to indicate my strong support for H.R. 3118 offered by VA Committee Chairman Stump and our ranking member, Sonny Montgomery. Mr. Speaker, this important legislation is a giant first step in improving access to and the quality of health care provided to our veterans. To our many veterans who served in our Armed Forces, who loyally and selflessly gave a portion of their lives and the lives of their families to protect and defend this country, we owe a debt that can never be fully repaid. Mr. Speaker, we have a responsibility to meet the health care needs of these veterans. H.R. 3118 will enable the VA to restructure and prioritize health care delivery and eligibility criteria. Rather than continuing to focus on inpatient care, which is not only more expensive but is, in most cases, less desirable for the patient, the VA will have the flexibility to expand access to outpatient treatment and preventative services. Mr. Speaker, this element of the bill is especially important for my constituents. I represent a majority rural part of southeast Alabama. Over 37,000 veterans reside within a 50-mile radius of the city of Dothan, AL. These veterans, whether ill, elderly, disabled, or infirmed must travel over 100 miles, even 200 miles, to reach a VA medical facility. For many, they may wait until their injury or illness has reached a dangerous point before they make the trip. Mr. Speaker, for years I have worked with the VA to establish an outpatient access point around the Dothan area. Certainly, this legislation reinforces the priority for such a facility. Quality outpatient care, preventative health care services, and reliable home care should be readily available and accessible to our eligible veterans' population. To this end, we must foster relationships with our community health care providers and in turn provide more opportunities to meet the needs of our veterans with expanded ambulatory treatment services. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3118 goes a long way to meet these goals. Yes, this legislation is a first step, but a giant step in the right direction. I urge my colleagues to offer their unbridled support for H.R. 3118.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3458 will provide a cost of living allowance increase for those who receive compensation and pension as well as other related benefits. The COLA will be in an amount equal to the COLA given to Social Security recipients, and is currently estimated at 2.8 percent. The bill will also round the COLA down to the next lower dollar. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased we can give a full COLA this year to help our most deserving and neediest veterans and their survivors. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3673 contains program improvements for several veterans benefits. Section 101 adds bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma to the presumptive list of service connected illnesses presumed to be the result of radiation-exposure. Section 102 provides a presumption of permanent and total disability for veterans over the age of 65 who are nursing home patients. Section 103 establishes a pilot program under which contract physicians would provide disability examinations to applicants for VA benefits. This pilot program is anticipated to speed up the examination-gathering process for the adjudication of claims. Section 104 would limit the clothing allowance for veterans incarcerated for more than 60 days in a penal institution where they receive clothing at no cost. Section 105 extends the time for the Veterans' Claims Adjudication Commission to submit a final report to December 31, 1996 and authorizes an additional $150,000 to complete their work. Section 201 removes the GI bill's 2-year restriction on all degree granting institutions, including branch campuses. Section 202 would allow individuals the opportunity to pursue their educational programs through open circuit TV without taking part of the course in residence. Section 203 would permit payment of educational benefits for flight training provided the veterans meets the medical requirements for a commercial pilot's certificate at the beginning of training and within 60 days after completion of training. Section 204 allows veterans training under cooperative training programs to be paid full-time educational benefits instead of the current 80 percent of the full-time educational benefit rate. Cooperative education is an increasingly popular and effective approach to education and this change will make these programs more affordable. Section 205 extends VA's authority to guarantee the real estate mortgage investment conduits [REMIC's] that are used to market vendee loans on the secondary market for an additional year. Section 206 extends the homeless veterans reintegration project [HVRP] through fiscal year 1999 and authorize appropriations in the amount of $10 million per year. The homeless veterans reintegration project is a Veterans Employment and Training Service program to assist homeless veterans with finding employment. Section 301 authorizes the American Battle Monuments Commission to accept private funds to help maintain overseas war memorials transferred to the ABMC. Section 302 authorizes VA to pay transportation expenses for the body and up to $300 in burial costs to reimburse State nursing homes for certain veterans who die in their care. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are able to offer these program improvements. This bill, along with the provisions in H.R. 3674 comprise a realistic package of benefits improvements and we've done it in a very bipartisan manner. I thank the distinguished chairman, the ranking member for their work and leadership. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the distinguished chairman of the full committee and the ranking member of the full committee, and also I would like to thank my ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois, Lane Evans, for the outstanding work he has done with this bill. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 294, I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 293, I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to indicate my strong support for the amendment to H.R. 3666 offered by VA Committee Chairman Stump and our ranking member, Sonny Montgomery. Mr. Chairman, these days it is very difficult to put together an appropriation bill that will meet with agreement on both sides of the aisle, let alone with the other body and the White House. I congratulate Chairman Lewis on a fine job overall, and hope he will be able to agree to Chairman Stump's amendment. As I understand, the amendment will add $40 million to VA healthcare and $17 to VA's benefit administration general operating expenses. This additional funding will go a long way to improve healthcare for our veterans. But, as chairman of the Veterans Compensation and Pension Subcommittee, I would be especially gratified to see improvements to processing times for VA claims as a result of the $17 million increase. Nobody has been a bigger watchdog of VA claims processing than I have been over the past couple of sessions. I am a firm supporter of making sure VA moves down the path of strategic planning and business process reengineering. Veterans who depend on their benefits, whether its for education or compensation, should receive those benefits in a timely fashion. I encourage the VA to carefully prioritize these extra funds for the purpose of serving veterans through improved claims processing. We owe a debt to our veterans. We can continue our commitment to honor them by actively working to reform and improve VA healthcare, compensation and benefits processes, among other programs. This additional funding will go a long way toward reinforcing our support for veterans and their families. And, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Stump-Montgomery amendment and H.R. 3666.