J. Forbes

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take my Special Order at this time.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a statement by Rabbi Israel Zoberman, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia in recognition of the hope of peace created by recent Middle East developments. Israel's historic disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank has begun on August 15, 2005. These unilateral acts by a democratic Israel, though coordinated with the Palestinian Authority, approved by its government and Knesset, and commanding a majority in the Israeli public, are nonetheless painful and controversial in uprooting thousands of Israeli settlers from areas associated with Biblical Israel gained following the 1967 Six-Day War. Paradoxically, that miraculous victory by a gravely threatened Israel facilitated through a pre-emptive strike by the superb Israeli Air Force that destroyed the Egyptian planes still on the ground, saddled Israel with two challenging dilemmas; a recalcitrant, fast growing Palestinian population with its own national aspirations and a rising messianic Judaism mesmerized by a universal redemptive vision rooted in the stunning return to the ancient inheritance with every inch of it consequential, flying in the face of classical Zionism's operative principle of compromise with the Arabs. I surely sympathize with fellow Jews who accomplished much and whose lives are now dramatically impacted with their realities and dreams undergoing demanding change. We also recognize that both Likkud and Labor-led governments encouraged the settlement enterprise as a patriotic act. How ironic and symbol-laden that Prime Minister Sharon is the one presiding over the transfer of territory that he was the grand architect of settling, stamped by his unique style of charismatic leadership and pioneering zeal. I personally witnessed during earlier missions to Israel the enthusiastic use of dotted maps by the once hero of the settlers' movement and the political Right who has turned into their maligned figure, making him into the most guarded man on earth. How history repeats itself with altered twists. It was Sharon who as Defense Minister ordered the destruction of Yamit in 1982 in the wake of the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt which included the Sinai Peninsula's loss. It is this courageously transformed Prime Minister Sharon who, following the bloody Second Intifada of barbaric suicide bombings against Israel's civilian population, the death of his longstanding nemesis Chairman Arafat and the yet unsettling murder of Prime Minister Rabin by a fanatic Jew, has finally decided to act. He thus offsets world pressure and begins to draw, with the Road Map's backdrop, Israel's future boundaries sans the Palestinian demographic trap, signaling with sacrificial acts to the Palestinian Authority Israel's abiding interest in reaching a peace agreement and its commitment to establishing a Palestinian state. The Israeli military is also freed from the cumbersome and expensive yoke of guarding the Gaza settlers, attempting to preserve the genuinely Biblically connected major blocks of West Bank settlements, assuring greater Jerusalem's Jewish destiny. This realistic Zionist vision comes with the heavy and traumatic price of relocating Israelis whose majority peacefully complies albeit with some understandable legal demonstration. However, a hard core minority with outside agitators seems bent on resisting the order to evacuate in spite of offered compensation, even as we pray that in the moment of truth the tragically unacceptable scenario of Jew fighting Jew will be averted. To be sure, the state's authority properly carried out should prevail to safeguard its very foundation. What is described as Israel's most fateful internal test since 1948, will hopefully prove a rallying point for reordering the only Jewish state's priorities toward applying its limited resources to pressing economic, social and educational needs along with focusing on the holy as well southern Negev and northern Galilee, without which an enduring Israel is truly at risk, quality-wise and physically. The Palestinian Authority has a golden opportunity and responsibility, not to be missed, assuring that violence from its midst will not interfere with Israel's forthcoming move which benefits both sides to this far too long and costly entanglement. Indeed, the challenge for President Abbas remains to put an end to Palestinian terrorism and competing organizations such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, undermining both Israel's and his own dreams for his people. How his leadership will run the evacuated territory will be indicative of what's in store for a future Palestine state. Active American involvement and essential support remain key for the prospect of peace and prosperity to the entire turbulent region bearing upon the world at large these eventful times. Rabbi Israel Zoberman is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach. He grew up in Haifa, Israel.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Schiff- Coble-Forbes amendment to H.R. 3199. I also want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, as well as the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff), for their important work on this amendment. Mr. Chairman, the edge of my district is only minutes from the Port of Norfolk, one of the busiest international ports on the east coast of the United States. More than $37 billion worth of goods pass through Norfolk every year to travel on to all of the lower 48 States. Our Nation's seaports are the arteries that keep our Nation's economic heart beating. But, unfortunately, our ports remain an attractive target to terrorists and criminals. The Interagency Commission on Crime and Security in U.S. Seaports concluded in their report that significant criminal activity is taking place at most of the 12 seaports surveyed by the commission. That activity included drug smuggling, alien smuggling, cargo theft, and export crime. That is why it is important that the House pass the Schiff-Coble- Forbes amendment. This amendment sends a clear message to terrorists and criminals that we will defend our Nation's ports. This amendment says that there is no loophole or shortcoming in the law that you can hide behind that will allow you to harm our Nation. Many of my constituents are shocked to learn that it is not a crime for a vessel operator to refuse to stop when ordered to do so by the Coast Guard. If you have spent as much time on the waterways of our harbors as I have, you know there are often only seconds that separate a vessel occupied by terrorists and one of our commercial or naval vessels docked at a pier. You cannot legally evade the police on our Nation's highways, and the same rule should apply to our Nation's waterways. While the Coast Guard has the authority to use whatever force is reasonably necessary to force a vessel to stop or be boarded, refusal to stop by itself is not currently a crime. That changes today with this amendment. The amendment we are offering today will further protect our seaports by prohibiting the use of dangerous weapons or explosives on a passenger vessel, prohibiting the transportation of dangerous materials and terrorists, and further increasing penalties for bribery affecting port security. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is vital to protecting our Nation's ports. I want to express my appreciation for this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Colonel John R. Angevine, Garrison Commander United States Army Garrison Fort Lee, Virginia for his loyal service to the United States and Virginia's Fourth District. Colonel Angevine's dedication and loyalty to the advancement of our district and the Nation as a whole is to be highly commended. Colonel Angevine's devotion to duty has reflected the highest standards of the military profession through a number of command and staff positions. His assignments have included Red River Army Depot, Texarkana, Texas; the 1st Infantry Division (Forward), Coppingen, Germany; the 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Drum, New York; the Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, Virginia; Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Washington, DC; the United Nations Operations Somalia, Mogadishu, Somalia; the Strategic Logistics Agency, Washington, DC; 25th Infantry Division (light) at Ft. Lewis, Washington; Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Washington, DC; and the Center for Strategic Leadership, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Among his many duties, he has served as Battalion Commander, 25th Forward Support Battalion, Battalion Executive Officer and Battalion S-3, 710th Maintenance Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (Light); Company Commander, 1st Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division (F); Quartermaster Assignments Officer; Logistics Staff Officer, Chief Logistics Officer UN Mission, Somalia; and as a Force Development Systems Integrator. His previous assignment was Chief, Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, Virginia. His military education is extensive and includes the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Army War College, and the Quartermaster Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. Colonel Angevine holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Masters of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University. Colonel Angevine's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (7th Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal (3rd Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), United Nations Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Medal, National Defense Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Army Staff Identification Badge. Colonel Angevine has shown tremendous commitment and devotion to his country and the United States Army. Today we recognize him for his unwavering patriotism and dedication to both his profession and the American people. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Colonel John R. Angevine.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend publicly Smithfield Foods and its many employees, an important corporate citizen from my district in Southeastern Virginia. Smithfield has long been known throughout the United States as the leading producer of pork and other outstanding meat products. This spring, Smithfield Foods earned another important distinction. It was certified by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in Geneva, Switzerland as having met or exceeded the ISO's high standards for environmental management. It has achieved its aggressive goal of ISO 14001 certification for all Environmental Management Systems, EMSs, in its U.S.-based hog production, and all its U.S. pork and beef processing facilities, except recent acquisitions. Smithfield is the first domestic processor of meat to earn certification under the ISO 14001 Standard--that is the gold standard for environmental stewardship not just in the United States but across the globe. To obtain ISO certification for its environmental practices, a company must meet a rigorous and comprehensive set of standards developed by more than 2,000 experts worldwide. It is a distinction that is a credit to Smithfield's leadership, and to its entire workforce. This was not the first milestone that Smithfield has achieved for its stewardship of our natural resources. Last month, our Commonwealth's Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, awarded eight Smithfield Foods facilities with its Virginia Environmental Excellence Program designations. Six Smithfield facilities received Exemplary Environmental Enterprise, E3, status, and two others achieved Environmental Enterprise, E2, Status. As our State's Secretary of Natural Resources said in making these awards: ``Smithfield Foods has made superior environmental performance a management priority. This E3 designation shows that the company has made significant improvements in the management of its facilities in order to protect Virginia's environment.'' Smithfield has received other awards from states and communities all across our great country. Mr. Speaker, what is particularly significant about these milestones is that they have been achieved less than 10 years after Smithfield Foods received a large civil fine under the Clean Water Act for discharges into the Pagan River in Virginia. So what did Smithfield do? In response to those events and others, Smithfield embraced what one executive recently described as a ``culture shift'' in its approach to environmental issues. Smithfield has embraced the simple idea that protecting the environment is not just the right thing to do, but smart business as well. And because Smithfield Foods has embraced environmental stewardship throughout the company, in many cases going beyond what is required by our laws, my district and many other parts of the United States are better places to live and work. Mr. Speaker, I commend Smithfield Foods on its environmental turnaround and the recent recognition it has received for that progress in my district and across the country. I am confident that Smithfield will stay on this course in the years ahead.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations, for his loyal service to the United States of America. Admiral Clark's dedication and loyalty to the advancement of our naval service and the Nation as a whole is to be highly commended. Admiral Clark's devotion to duty has reflected the highest standards of the military profession through a number of command and staff positions. He served aboard the destroyers USS John W. Weeks and the USS Gearing. As a Lieutenant, he commanded the USS Grand Rapids. He also commanded the USS McCloy, USS Spruance, the Atlantic Fleet's Anti- Submarine Warfare Training Center, Destroyer Squadron Seventeen, and Destroyer Squadron Five. After being selected for flag rank, he commanded the Carl Vinson Battle Group/Cruiser Destroyer Group Three, the Second Fleet, and the United States Atlantic Fleet. Ashore, he served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Systems Analysis Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He later served as the Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and as the Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief on Naval Operations. He then served as the Administrative Aide to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He also served as Head of the Cruiser- Destroyer Combat Systems Requirements Section and Force Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer for the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and he directed the Joint Staff's Crisis Action Team for Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Admiral Clark's first flag assignment was at the U.S. Transportation Command where he was director of both Plans and Policy and Financial Management and Analysis. While he was commanding the Carl Vinson Battle Group, he deployed to the Arabian Gulf and served as Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Atlantic Fleet; the Director of Operations and subsequently Director of the Joint Staff. He became the 27th Chief of Naval Operations on July 21, 2000. Admiral Clark's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (three awards), the Distinguished Service Medal (two awards), the Legion of Merit (three awards), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Navy Commendation Medal, and various service and campaign awards. Admiral Vern Clark has shown the highest level of commitment and devotion to his country. Today we recognize him for his unwavering patriotism and dedication to both his profession and the American people. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Admiral Vern Clark, the 27th Chief of Naval Operations, on his retirement from the United States Navy.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I just wish today that we would hear the same passion for the victims of gang crimes as we have heard on the other side for those who commit violent gang crimes. You know, we have heard a lot about the cost of locking up violent gang criminals. But I have not heard a whole lot about the cost of leaving them in our neighborhoods to create more crimes and leave repeated paths of victims. We just heard about common sense. Well, let me tell you about common sense. Common sense is that you are not going to stop these violent gang criminals by giving them a Popsicle and a hug. You stop them by getting them off the streets. Let us make it clear that we do not believe there is any socially redeeming value for belonging to a violent criminal gang. What mandatory sentences do is they set out clearly a policy that we say, if you are going to belong to one of these gangs, you take the consequences; that if you commit one of these gang crimes, you are going to pay a price. You cannot just roll the dice. Now, our opponents will tell you it is already illegal to do some of these acts. They miss the point. Our whole purpose is to keep those acts from being committed in the first place by getting rid of the gang networks. They believe, they have argued here the way you do that is by giving arts and crafts to members of these violent gangs. We just respectfully disagree. We believe that the way you do it is by bringing down the criminal gang networks and the criminal gang leaders. Mandatory sentences do that by giving those individuals who commit gang crimes a choice. They can either spend a long time in jail, or they can help us bring down the networks that are praying on our communities. Mr. Chairman, I hope we will reject this amendment and will pass the bill.

Mr. FORBES. Madam Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) for his leadership in this area and for bringing this bill to the floor. I rise today in support of this bipartisan bill, H.R. 1279, the Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005. And in the limited time that I have, I just want to raise three points. The first point is that throughout the debate today, you will hear two different worlds described about gangs. One world they will describe in gangs will be talking about antisocial behavior and fist fights. If you think that is what we are concerned about with gangs, then we should not be here today at all talking about this bill. But the true world, when you talk about gangs, are that you are having a rise in gangs in the United States where today, as we debate this bill, there are between 750,000 and 850,000 gang members within our borders. If it was a foreign army, it would be the sixth largest army in the world. And these are the acts in the real gang world: machete attacks, witness intimidation, extortion, murder of Federal agents, rape, cutting off arms, fingers and individuals' heads. So the second point is, why can we not just deal with these acts with current State laws? Well, this chart shows just one member of one gang and all of the activities that he had in traveling around the United States. Today, these gangs have become national and international in scope; and if we want to truly deal with gangs, there is only one way to do it: you have got to bring down the gang networks and the gang leaders. And this bill will do that. Now, our friends who are opposed to this bill say let us just deal with it crime by crime and individual by individual. And that works if it is just an individual committing a crime, because once you get that person and put them in jail, the crime stops. But when you are talking about gangs, when you deal with just one crime from a lower-tier person in that gang and you get that person and prosecute him, 20 different acts were never caught. And when you get that one person from a gang and it is an organized effort, 20 more spring up in their place. We need a system to bring together teams of Federal, State, and local law enforcement so that we can go after that network and bring them down. And I would just ask you to look at a single situation where local or State law enforcement has been able to reach up to these national and international gangs and bring down the gang network. The other thing that I want to say that you will see today, and we heard it earlier, and I was absolutely shocked when I heard it, but the opponents of this bill literally said on the floor earlier this morning that giving arts and crafts to criminal gang members who committed violent crimes would do more than the provisions of this bill, which is to lock them up and to empower law enforcement to go after them. And I want to just say, because you hear a lot of talk about people who met with a group of students here, or maybe a group of people over here, this is a list that the chairman read out earlier of virtually every major law enforcement organization in the United States who supports the provisions of this bill and realizes if we do not pass this bill and bring down the gang networks, you might as well put a big billboard out that says, ``Coming soon to a neighborhood near you,'' because that is what is going to happen with the rapid rise of these gangs. And I hope that this House will stand up today, will vote to give law enforcement the tools they need, and that we will go after these networks and bring them down.

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit. I thought I had heard everything this morning, Mr. Speaker, when, in the debate, we heard the opponents of this bill say that they felt that they could fight violent gang crime better by using arts and crafts than they could by locking up violent criminals, but I am shocked now that they are even bringing in Iraq. If you look, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice, I am sure, is going to investigate the matters that are in this motion to recommit. There has not been a shred of evidence or testimony in any subcommittee or full committee about this bill related to anything in this motion to recommit. We have not heard a single discussion on it on the floor today. We have heard one poison pill after another to try to stop us from going after violent criminal gangs. There have even been amendments to try to offer loans to gang members, to give housing to violent gang members. Mr. Speaker, it is time we stopped playing games with this bill and we pass it and go on to try to deal with these violent gangs. I want to remind the House that the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Sheriffs Association, the Major County Sheriffs Association, the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, National Troopers Coalition, Federal Criminal Investigators Association, California Gang Investigators Association, National Latino Peace Officers Association, the New Orleans District Attorney, the Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, and 63 chiefs of major police departments around the country support the bill as it is. I hope we will defeat the motion to recommit and pass H.R. 1279.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I think, if one is around here long enough, they get to the point where they do not believe they could be shocked by anything. But when I heard the other side a while ago say that they believe that giving arts and crafts to violent gang members will do more to deter crime than empowering law enforcement agents and locking up gang members in jail, that, I have to admit, still shocks me. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from the National Latino Peace Officers Association, which supports all the provisions of this bill and asks that this bill be passed; from the Fraternal Order of Police that supports this bill and asks that it be passed; from the National Association of Police Organizations, which supports this bill and asks that it be passed; from the National Sheriffs' Association, which supports the provisions of this bill and asks that it be passed; from the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, which supports the provisions of this bill and asks that it be passed; from the National Troopers Coalition; from the California Gang Investigators Association; from the Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs office; and from the Major County Sheriffs' Association. And, Mr. Speaker, we will have a lot more as the day goes on. Major County Sheriff's Association, Alexandria, Virginia, April 20, 2005. Hon. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Sensenbrenner: On behalf of the Major County Sheriffs' Association, I am writing to express our support for H.R. 1279, the ``Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005.'' This much needed legislation takes a necessary step toward addressing the growing epidemic of gang violence that is affecting our entire nation and has even stretched into some of our most rural communities. The Department of Justice estimates there are currently over 25,000 gangs and over 750,000 gang members who are active in more than 3,000 jurisdictions across the United States. Gang activity has been directly linked to the narcotics trade, human trafficking, identification documentation falsification and the use of firearms to commit deadly shootings. H.R. 1279 would address the growing problem of gang violence by creating a rational strategy to identify, apprehend and prosecute gangs across the nation. Specifically, the bill would provide for the designation of High Intensity Gang Areas (HIGAs) to identify, target and eliminate violent gangs in areas where gang activity is particularly prevalent. The bill would also create a statute to prosecute criminal gangs similar to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute (RICO) that has proven so effective against organized crime, and would provide more than $385 million over the next five years in grants to support Federal, State, and local law enforcement efforts against violent gangs, and to coordinate law enforcement agencies' efforts to share intelligence and jointly prosecute violent gangs. Finally, under H.R. 1279, several categories of gang- related offense would be subject to mandatory minimum sentences of at least 30 years in prison for cases of kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault or maiming. The ``Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005'' is a comprehensive piece of legislation that addresses both the enforcement and prosecution aspects of the battle against gang violence. Thank you for your time and attention, as well as your continued support of law enforcement. Sincerely, Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard, MCSA Vice President--Legislative Affairs. Sheriff James A. Karnes, MCSA President.

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pride that I rise today to support both this rule and the underlying bill and to point out to my good friend on the other side that this is a bipartisan bill, and it is a bill that is designed to reach a major problem in our country today, which is the rise of violent gang crime. When I listen to some of our opponents talk about this bill, they always use the term ``antisocial behavior,'' and I can tell you from studying gangs for over 10 years, it is not antisocial behavior that we are talking about. Let me, Mr. Speaker, tell you what we are talking about. We are talking about machete attacks, witness intimidation, extortion, cold-blooded assassination, rapes, cutting off people's fingers, cutting off their arms, cutting off their heads. But what concerns me the most, Mr. Speaker, is the metamorphosis I have seen in violent gang activity across our country. First of all, there has been a huge change in numbers. My good friend from Georgia mentioned earlier that, as we sit here and debate this bill, there is probably between 750,000 to 850,000 gang members in the United States. To put that in perspective, if they were an army from a foreign country, it would be the sixth largest army in the world. And that is not waiting to get in our borders, but already here. Their violence has increased enormously. In some of these gangs, in order to be able to get in, if you are a woman, you have to be raped in, for 30 minutes by six different individuals. If you are a male, you have to be either beaten in or, to some of the gangs, you have to murder somebody to get into the gang. And they have become national and international in scope. No longer are we talking about the old Jets and Sharks from West Side Story; we are talking about gangs that are across the country that have boards of directors outside the prisons, boards of directors inside the prisons, and they are ordering violent activity. They may be in Los Angeles, but they are ordering the violence in another part of the country. Their recruitment is now reaching as low as the elementary schools, and their motivation to join is no longer just a fear or a want to belong to something. Today, many people feel if they do not join the gang, they will be beaten or intimidated by the gang. So it is the presence of the gang and the fear and intimidation of the gang that is drawing them there. Also, one of the things that concerns us most is that many of these gangs have become the most proficient smugglers of individuals and weapons in the country, and it is a small linkage between the gang activity that we are seeing and their connection with organized terrorist activity. What this bill says is that, if you join a violent criminal gang and you commit a gang crime, you will go to jail for a long time, or you will help us bring down that network. What this bill says is that, if you are a gang leader, you can no longer order violence in one part of the country by a 16- or 17-year old and expect to go scot-free, because the Federal, State and local government is coming after you. It also says that we are going to use the combined strength of the Federal, State and local government to protect citizens in our own borders from the domestic terror they face from gangs. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that if this bill fails, we might as well put a sign on a billboard that says ``Coming to a neighborhood near you soon,'' because that is the growth we are seeing in violent gangs. My good friend just raised in his opposition to the bill the support of the California Gang Investigators Association. They support this bill. The Fraternal Order of Police supports this bill. The National Latino Peace Officers Association supports this bill. The National Association of Police Organizations supports this bill. The major chiefs of law enforcement departments across the country support this bill. The National Troopers Coalition supports this bill. Mr. Speaker, I hope we will support this bill and make it into law and protect our citizens.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Donnie R. Wheeler, General Manager of the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) in Virginia Beach, VA. Mr. Wheeler is an exceptional leader and public steward dedicated to the Nation's and Virginia's environment and public health. It is a great pleasure to congratulate Mr. Wheeler on becoming the first President of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), formerly the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA). No one could be more deserving of this leadership position. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Mr. Wheeler was employed by the Virginia State Water Control Board for seven years before joining HRSD in 1974. Mr. Wheeler's distinguished career with HRSD--a nationally recognized regional wastewater treatment utility, which serves 17 cities and counties covering 3,100 square miles of southeast Virginia--has spanned three decades. Under his management, HRSD has been honored with a host of awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is recognized as a state innovator for initiatives such as Virginia's first municipal water reuse project. On May 2, 2005, the members of NACWA elected Mr. Wheeler to be the president of the Association stemming from his exemplary commitment and dedication to the clean-water community. With Mr. Wheeler as President, NACWA will no doubt be the leading advocate for responsible national policies that advance clean water and a healthy environment. Simply stated, when I hear the term ``environmentalist'', I think of public servants like Donnie first. This is because Donnie's contributions to his profession, his community, and to Virginia are numerous. Mr. Wheeler is a founder of the Virginia Association of Municipal Wastewater Agencies (VAMWA) and served as its president for six years. His career achievements have earned the respect of his colleagues at the local, state and national levels, resulting in awards from the Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA) and Environment Virginia. Mr. Wheeler has also served as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University. Again, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Donnie on becoming President of NACWA. I am certain the Association will continue to flourish under his able leadership.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a statement by Rabbi Israel Zoberman, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia in recognition of the hope of peace created by recent Middle East developments. I have been witness to remarkable developments in the Middle East with far-reaching implications, giving that volatile and violent region and the world at large renewed hope for peaceful transformation following four and a half years of the bloody Second Intifada now formally ended. As a member of the Rabbinical Council of ARZA, the Association of The Reform Zionists of America, serving the million and a half Jews of Reform Judaism, our delegation was at Israel's Knesset when German President Horst Kohler accompanied by Israeli President Moshe Katzav entered to address the parliamentary body on the 40th anniversary of Israeli-German diplomatic relations. Sixty years since the death camps' liberation it was still too trying for a few of Israel's elected representatives to hear the language used by the Holocaust's perpetrators though Germany has become Israel's close friend. Yet this historic opportunity, the first for a German president on an official state visit with the German flag decorating Jerusalem's streets, is an appreciated lesson that peace can follow a painful past. It also alerts us that fears and vulnerabilities simmer just below the surface, mindful of the global rise in anti-Semitism and the apprehension concerning ultimate Arab intentions. In our discussions with Knesset members of both the coalition and opposition, we were exposed to Israel's vibrant democracy that hopefully will spread throughout the Middle East. Equally significant was to watch Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's motorcade speed through Israel's Capital. Her poignant presence so closely following her installation in office was a clear signal to all concerned that the United States led by President George W. Bush placed the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict high on its agenda of concerns, to enabling both sides to reach that elusive peace which involves the traumatic disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank along with further trying concessions for the two long-embattled peoples. Chairman Abu Mazen's immediate and fateful challenge is to prevail upon militant Palestinians to end the terrorism of suicide bombings and rocket launchings that might derail progress as in the past. However, Jewish extremists pose danger of their own, recalling Prime Minister Rabin's 1995 assassination. I was glued to Israeli T.V. as the Sharon Summit with Prime Minister Sharon, Chairman Abu Mazen, President Mubarak and King Abdullah gathered with evident determination to break through the vicious cycle of death and despair. Both Sharon and Abu Mazen vowed to immediately cease all military operations with Egypt and Jordan committing to returning their ambassadors to Israel. When Sharon heartfeltedly spoke these unforgettable words, ``to kindle for all the region's nations a first light of hope,'' I whispered my own ``Amen.'' Our warm meeting in Tel-Aviv with American Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer was an illuminating experience, as we were briefed by a Middle East expert on the arena's shifting dynamics. He expressed cautious optimism following Arafat's departure, the one who was the stalling obstacle at Camp David 2000 and beyond. We toured various segments of the ``security barrier,'' and in Jerusalem we were guided by Colonel (Res.) Danny Terza, the project's head administrator for the Ministry of Defense who has been responsible for its complex erection in a city with multi religious and ethnic layers that he successfully dialogued with to avoid hard feelings. The cement part of the fence, only 4.5 percent of it, is designed to be dismantled when called upon. Its purpose of blocking terrorist infiltrations has proved itself over ninety percent. We held a memorial service in the Nahalal cemetery of the Jesreel valley for Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon, who perished along with his heroic fellow crew members of the Columbia shuttle two years ago. Ilan, who participated as a pilot in 1981 in destroying Iraq's nuclear facility and whose mother survived Auschwitz, will remain an enduring symbol of courage and creativity. Our group of rabbis also paid respect at the Abukasis home in the town of Sderot, who lost their seventeen year old daughter Ella, an exemplary young woman, in a rocket attack on January 15 from neighboring Gaza. The heroic high school senior was killed while she saved the life of her wounded ten year old brother Tamir, protecting him with her own body. Let the day come soon when the children of both parties to the tragic conflict will grow up to fulfill their soaring dreams. After all, it is their birthright and the best guarantee for lasting peace.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Bennett College and its President Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, on the occasion of her appearance before the Tidewater Alumnae Chapter for its annual White Breakfast on March 19, 2005. Bennett College is an historically black college and university founded in 1873 in Greensboro, North Carolina through the inspiration of newly emancipated slaves. Instruction was first held in the basement of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church until the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church assumed responsibility for support of the school in 1874. Through a $10,000 gift from philanthropist Lyman Bennett the school was able to prosper and grow, and the school was renamed in his honor. In 1926, the school was reorganized as a college for women, a role that it continues to serve today. In 1989, Bennett College had the distinction of having First Lady Barbara Bush as its commencement speaker. For over 130 years, Bennett College has served the needs of the African American community in North Carolina and its surrounding area. Since 1930, Bennett College has graduated over 5,000 women, many serving in the education profession. My home city of Chesapeake, Virginia has been particularly reliant on the service of Bennett College alumnae as career teachers in the Chesapeake Public School System. I am grateful to Bennett College for this contribution to my congressional district. In 2002, the esteemed Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole became the 14th president of Bennett College. Her career as a college university professor and administrator spans over three decades. In 1987, she made history as the first African American woman to serve as president of Spelman College. In 2004, she made history again as the first African American woman to serve as chair of the board of the United Way of America. I am proud to have her visit my district and applaud the Tidewater Alumnae Chapter of Bennett College for bringing her to Virginia on the occasion of their annual White Breakfast. The Tidewater Alumnae Chapter has distinguished itself in southeastern Virginia through its contribution to the community. Among their members are many present and former teachers of the Chesapeake Public School System. Their professional contribution to my district is significant, and I thank them for their accomplishments on the occasion of their annual White Breakfast. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Bennett College, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole and the Tidewater Alumnae Chapter of Bennett College for their record of service and contribution to our Nation and to my district. It is truly my honor and privilege to recognize Bennett College, Dr. Cole and the Tidewater Alumnae Chapter in the United States House of Representatives on this day.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the REAL ID Act, and I thank the chairman for his courage and hard work on this vital measure. Over a decade ago, the ability of Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing to be granted asylum and to move freely in the country should have signaled that something was terribly wrong with our system. It did not, and 8 years later, 19 terrorists collectively carrying a total of 63 valid U.S. driver's licenses, boarded planes to finish Yousef's work. It is now over 3 years since that tragic September 11th. Today, we are considering a vital piece of legislation to address three key failures of current security policy. First, the REAL ID Act mandates standards to obtain driver's licenses; second, it tightens our Nation's asylum laws, which easily allow suspected terrorists into our Nation; and finally, it addresses the need to secure our borders. These concepts are not rocket science. The need for these reforms has been reiterated over and over, and in expert testimony, in anecdotal evidence from security professionals, in scholarly research and in evidence presented from our Nation's justice and military personnel. But the fact of the matter is, the most compelling reason to pass this bill is just plain old common sense. We can not repeat enough what the 9/11 Commission said: ``For terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons.'' They are right. They also said, ``It is elemental to border security to know who is coming into the country.'' Today, more than 9 million people have entered the United States outside the legal immigration system. The security chain protecting America is only as good as its weakest link. It does not take a congressman or a national security expert to tell you this. Most Americans know that despite the rhetoric we hear against this bill, as long as we ignore the need for border security, we place them and their families at risk. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the REAL ID Act.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember my dear friend, Margaret Brothers. Margaret was a loving wife to David, mother to Jessica and Gray, and servant of God, but to me she was first and foremost a trusted and loving friend. If I can convey but one overriding memory of Margaret, it is that she was always there for my wife Shirley and myself and for our family from the earliest days onward. As I embarked on my career in law, she was by my side. As I began my career in public service, she continued to serve in my law office and made the transition to my congressional office after my special election in 2001. During my legal career and in each of my campaigns, Margaret was always near, encouraging me and strengthening me with her God given abilities to comfort and guide. Although her time with us was all too brief, I have a great sense of comfort knowing that she directly changed the lives of all she touched for the better both in and out of the office. Always the servant, Margaret worked tirelessly for the citizens of the 4th Congressional District of Virginia. Even when her own strength was diminishing and her own personal needs were increasing, Margaret fought to overcome her physical obstacles to be with her coworkers and to concentrate on serving others in need. I will always remember her graceful presence, calm manner, warm smile, and joyful laugh, the qualities that enabled her to touch so many. Her witness to others has unquestionably impacted countless people who were fortunate enough to know her. Margaret's faith was a beacon of light shining out of the darkness to those in need searching to find their way. Her ability to touch the souls of others and show them the light was her calling and I thank God that she was a part of my life. While Margaret's loss to our office family and to me personally will be considerable, her never faltering faith and commitment to her Lord and Savior will continue to inspire all who knew her and serve as an inspiration and example to the next generation who must pick up her mission and carry it forward.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, one thing that both sides of the aisle, I think, can agree on today is that we should not be here today debating this amendment. I was thinking as I was sitting here, if we could go back in time to the days when they were laying the very foundation of this building that we are in today and we could ask the individuals laying that foundation, people walking the streets in D.C., what is the definition in America of marriage, they would have looked at us in bewilderment and they would have said without question, it is the relationship between one man and one woman. Mr. Speaker, if I had dared to tell them that there would come a day when I would stand in this Chamber and people would point their finger at me and they would yell and they would scream and they would call me names because I dared to stand up here to defend that definition of marriage, they would have been just awestruck. Mr. Speaker, our friends on the other side of the aisle always talk about representing the people in this country; but when their definition of marriage was challenged, 78 percent of them in Louisiana stood up and said that they believed that marriage should be between a man and a woman; 71 percent of them stood up in Missouri; 70 percent in Nebraska; 69 percent in Hawaii; 61 percent in California. Mr. Speaker, what we are facing today is an assault by a few individuals on that basic traditional definition of marriage between a man and a woman. The problem we had is that when this Congress stood up with the people in this country and said we want to protect that definition for you and they passed the Defense of Marriage Act, they realized that that act is currently under attack in Nebraska alone where 70 percent of the voters amended the Nebraska constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, that is being attacked and trying to be overturned now. Mr. Speaker, before our subcommittees we have heard testimony after testimony by leading scholars of the courts that tell us that when that act comes before the courts, it will be declared unconstitutional, not because that was the original Constitution but because of the way a few handful of judges are interpreting that Constitution today. Mr. Speaker, the question for us is very simple. There are some of our friends who say that the protection of marriage is not worth amending the Constitution. I think it is worth that, Mr. Speaker; and I hope we will pass this amendment so we can stand with all the people across this country who believe very strongly that marriage should be between a man and a woman for the protection of the children in that marriage.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, right above the Chair's head today are four words, ``In God We Trust''; and time after time in this country, we have seen in times of storm or war or illness the American people have embraced those words and believed in them very strongly. That is why 2 years ago, shortly after the release of the Ninth Circuit Court's decision that ``under God'' was to be struck from the Pledge of Allegiance, Newsweek published a poll finding 87 percent of Americans supported the inclusion of the phrase ``under God'' in the pledge. Nevertheless, the few, but articulate, supporters of the court, waving U.S. flags and calling themselves one of the last groups in America facing unrestrained bigotry, marched on the Mall to protest what they said was increasing infringement of religion in government affairs. Staging their first Godless Americans March on Washington, the demonstrators cheered and waved signs that expressed disapproval of religion. Their signs read: ``God Is a Fairy Tale,'' ``Keep Your Gods Out of Our Schools,'' and ``Al Qaeda is a Faith-Based Initiative.'' According to the New York Times, Dr. Michael Newdow touted that he planned to ``ferret out all insidious uses of religion in daily life. Why should I be made to feel like an outsider?'' he asked. Mr. Chairman, Dr. Newdow and the two judges in California were right on one thing: atheists are outsiders in America. But they are not outsiders because, as they claim, the beliefs of others are being forced upon them, but instead, because they, unlike the vast majority of Americans, are attempting to create an environment where their beliefs are paramount over the beliefs of others. Like every other American, atheists have the right not to recite the Pledge, not to attend church, and not to engage in any other practice of which they disapprove. They do not, however, have the right to impose their atheism on the vast majority of Americans whose beliefs now and historically have defined America as a religious Nation. Indeed, the concept of the separation of church and State was not born to establish freedom from religion, but to establish freedom for religion. Repeatedly and overwhelmingly, our legislative bodies, our civic leaders, our historical heritage and, most importantly, the people of the United States of America have affirmed the two words ``under God'' and their entirely proper presence in our system of government. This week, over 2 years after two judges in California imposed their will upon a Nation, I urge my colleagues to reclaim this court's abuse of power and, in passing the Pledge Protection Act, reaffirm that we are, indeed, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dr. Charles R. Drew, pioneer in the field of medicine, professor of surgery, and innovator of the modern blood bank. Dr. Drew, born 1904 in Washington, D.C., excelled academically. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College, Medical Doctorate and Master of Surgery degrees from McGill University, and a Doctor of Science in Medicine degree from Columbia University. Dr. Drew was an outstanding athlete, starring in football and track at Dunbar High School and Amherst College. He received the Thomas W. Ashley Memorial Trophy for being the football team's most valuable player and achieved honorable mention All-American honors in football. He became an all-time leading scorer in intercollegiate track while attending McGill Medical College. As a surgeon and specialist in blood research, in 1940 Dr. Drew organized the massive Blood for Britain project, in which blood plasma was separated, collected, and stored to aid the wounded in World War II. The following year he became director for the national American Red Cross program for blood procurement. Dr. Drew is credited with organizing the concept of the blood bank. Dr. Drew pioneered the use of blood plasma for transfusion due to the longer life of blood with the plasma removed. Prior to his studies, blood could only be stored for seven days. Dr. Drew developed ``bloodmobile'' trucks with refrigeration units to collect and carry plasma, increasing the shelf life of blood. His blood bank in the Presbyterian Hospital in New York served as one of the models for the widespread system of blood banks used by the American Red Cross today. Countless lives were saved thanks to Dr. Drew's efforts in blood research and plasma separation. Dr. Drew served as Professor of Surgery at Howard University and Chief Surgeon of its teaching and clinical facility, Freedmen's Hospital. There he trained America's first generation of black surgeons. Dr. Drew was inducted into the Alpha Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity while attending Amherst College. While on the faculty of Howard University, he collaborated in the writing and composition of the fraternity's hymn, ``Omega Dear.'' Dr. Drew succeeded in each phase of his life being an outstanding example of African-American achievement. He left behind a legacy of life saving techniques. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Dr. Charles R. Drew for his pioneering achievements in blood research; his commitment to Howard University, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and his community; and for the many contributions he has made to our nation. It is truly an honor and a privilege to recognize Dr. Charles R. Drew in the United States House of Representatives on this day.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a true public servant, a man of God and a trusted and loved friend to many, the Reverend Dr. John L. Ashby. Reverend Ashby dedicated his life to serving others. He first answered the call to service as a young man when he proudly entered the U.S. Army during the Korean war. He later attended and graduated from Norfolk State University, from the United Christian College as valedictorian with a bachelor of theology degree and from the Baltimore Bible College with a doctorate of divinity degree. Reverend Ashby served on numerous state and local boards, commissions, and associations throughout his life, and continued to challenge the status quo and strived to improve the lives of his fellow man. To Reverend Ashby there was no mountain too high and no challenge too overwhelming; he knew no strangers and cared for everyone. In addition to caring for his church family, Reverend Ashby was also a loving father. While Reverend Ashby's journey with us has ended, I know that his legacy of selfless service will continue to shine as an example to future generations of how one man can make a profound difference.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, several days before Christmas, the phone rang at Angel Flight, and the voice on the other end of the line said she only had 4 weeks to live. Her only hope was receiving an experimental drug treatment in San Antonio, but with a mountain of medical bills, she could not afford the flight. A few minutes later, an urgent e-mail would go out. Responses would come back in, and within a few hours, a pilot would be located. The patient would be flown to San Antonio for treatment. And upon arrival, a car would be waiting to drive her to the hospital. She would never see a bill for any of her transportation. Angel Flight is a nonprofit organization that offers free, long- distance transportation for medical care and removes the financial burden from patients. Its volunteer pilots are stockbrokers, realtors, private businessmen, retired Air Force pilots, commercial pilots, lawyers and doctors and others. Every year, on their free time, these pilots fly over 10,000 patients nationwide. Some pilots fly one or two mercy flights a year. Others may fly as many as 50 flights. All are flown at the pilot's expense. Angel Flight is just one organization involved in nonprofit public- benefit flying. Last year, volunteer pilot organizations provided long- distance, no-cost transportation for over 40,000 patients and their escorts in times of special need. Other organizations flew missions ranging from environmental observation to organ transportation. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, significant quantities of blood and blood products were transported by volunteer pilots. In the last several years, however, in part due to the fear of litigation, yearly insurance once available for $1,000 has skyrocketed to more than $25,000 a year even though there was no evidence presented to the Judiciary Committee of any negligence committed by any of these pilots or their organizations. Not only are talented volunteers afraid of flying mercy flights for fear of being sued, most of the organization's nonflying staff cannot afford liability protection. Mr. Speaker, today, we consider legislation to address this serious problem sponsored by my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Schrock). H.R. 1084 will create specific liability protection for nonprofit volunteer pilot organizations flying for the public's benefit. It will ensure that, when these pilots take to the skies, the only thing on their mind is getting that patient to the treatment they need. And ultimately, it will encourage others to join them in this network of charity. Without H.R. 1084, the Volunteer Pilot Organization Protection Act, we risk that these charitable organizations will no longer be able to provide their important services, and tens of thousands of people who benefit from their work will be unable to obtain the medical care they desperately need. Equally important, without this and other vital legislation aimed at curbing lawsuit abuse, we risk the possibility that America's abundant tradition of generosity and charity will be undermined by a few who use the judicial system for the wrong purposes. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1084 to keep these committed volunteers in our skies and keep America's spirit of generosity flying high.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Major General Terry E. Juskowiak, Commanding General of the United States Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee, for his loyal service to the United States and Virginia's Fourth District. Major General Juskowiak's dedication and loyalty to the advancement of our district and the nation as a whole is to be commended. Major General Juskowiak's devotion to duty has reflected the highest standards of the militarily profession through a number of command and staff positions. He served with the 82nd Airborne Division as a member of the division staff and participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama. He went on to command the 407th Supply and Transport Battalion (Airborne), 82nd Airborne Division during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also served as Commander of the Division Support Command, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) in Fort Drum, New York. He deployed to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy. He also participated in an eight-month rotation to the Bosnian Theater as the Assistant Division Commander for Support with the NATO Stabilizing Force for Operation Joint Endeavor/Guard. In 1998, Major General Juskowiak served as the Commanding General of CJTF-Kuwait during Operation Desert Fox. In 2000, he earned the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics at Headquarters, United States Army Forces Command. He then went on to additionally take on the responsibility of Commanding General of the Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee. His military education is extensive and includes the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Major General Juskowiak also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Citadel and a Masters degree of Science in Contract and Acquisition Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Major General Juskowiak's awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with OLC, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Silver Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with OLC, the Army Achievement Medal, Master Parachutist Wings, the Ranger tab, the Parachute Rigger Badge, the General Staff Identification Badge, the Australian, the Canadian, the Greek and the Israeli parachute badges. Major General Juskowiak has shown tremendous commitment and devotion to his country. Today we recognize him for his unwavering patriotism and dedication to both his profession and the American people. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Major General Terry E. Juskowiak.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Colonel Joel C. Bradshaw III, United States Air Force, for his loyal service to the United States and Virginia's Fourth District. Colonel Joel C. Bradshaw's dedication and loyalty to the advancement of our district and the Nation as a whole, after 29 years of service in the Air Force, is to be commended. Colonel Joel C. Bradshaw's devotion to duty has reflected the highest standards of the military profession through a number of command and staff positions. He has commanded a civil engineer squadron, and served in a range of civil engineering positions at base level, major command and the Air Staff. At the start of his career, he began as Project Officer and Test Director on the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in New Mexico. Later on in his career, he went on to become Deputy Director of Environment Programs at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, at Langley AFB, VA. He also served as Base Civil Engineer (Commander) at the Sembach Air Base in Germany. He returned to Langley to become Deputy Chief of Programs Division for the Civil Engineer Directorate, Headquarters Air Combat Command. In 1997, Colonel Bradshaw became Command Engineer of the Eleventh Air Force at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska. In 1999, he earned the position of Chief of Air Force Programs, Office of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations, The Pentagon. Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics at Headquarters, United States Army Forces Command. He then went on to additionally take on the responsibility of Chief of Military Construction Programs, Office of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment), The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Colonel Bradshaw also holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree from Virginia Tech in Civil Engineering, and a Masters degree of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. Additionally, he has a Masters degree in Business Administration from New Mexico Highlands University. Colonel Bradshaw's awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Colonel Bradshaw has shown tremendous commitment and devotion to his country. Today we recognize him for his unwavering patriotism and dedication to both his profession and the American people. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Colonel Joel C. Bradshaw III, USAF.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Major General Michael P. Wiedemer, Director of the Defense Commissary Agency, for his loyal service to the United States and Virginia's Fourth District. Major General Wiedemer's dedication and loyalty to the advancement of our district and the nation as a whole is to be commended. He has played an instrumental role in overseeing the growth and preservation of the military's worldwide commissary system since he assumed command in August 2002. Since first being commissioned in the U.S. Air Force over 30 years ago, Major General Wiedemer's devotion to duty has reflected the highest standards of the military profession. After four years of service, he served as Chief of Data Automation as part of the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing on the Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. He has served on numerous airbases throughout the United States. His military education is extensive and includes Squadron Officer School, the Air Command and Staff College, Defense Systems Management College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Major General Wiedemer also holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters degree in Industrial Management. Major General Wiedemer's decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, an Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Defense Superior Service Medal. Major General Wiedemer has shown tremendous commitment and devotion to his country. Today we recognize him for his unwavering patriotism and dedication to both his profession and the American people. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Major General Michael P. Wiedemer.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a true public servant, Dr. William E. ``Bill'' Ward who has given over 25 years of faithful service to the City of Chesapeake and her residents. Mayor Ward and the City of Chesapeake have a long history together. Having resided in Chesapeake with his wife Rose since its incorporation in 1963, Mayor Ward has been instrumental in helping to shape and form one of our Nation's largest cities. Mayor Ward has been serving his community in a variety of capacities for many decades. Those who know him best know that he is first and foremost an educator. Mayor Ward is Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the History Department at Norfolk State University, where he taught from 1973 to July of 2000. In addition, he serves on the Board of Visitors at his alma mater, Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia. Mayor Ward's love of government and service eventually led him into public life in 1978 and he has faithfully served since that date. From 1978-1984, he served as a member of the Chesapeake City Council and served as Vice Mayor from 1984-1990. Mayor Ward is the longest serving Mayor in Chesapeake's history having served in that capacity since October 4, 1990. During his tenure on the Chesapeake City Council , the city grew from 100,000 people to more than 210,000. Through a time of great change, Mayor Ward provided continuity of both leadership and direction. In closing, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the Mayor's wife Rose and their children Michael and Michelle and thank them for their support and sacrifices over the years. The Ward family will continue to be among the most well-respected and much-loved members of the Chesapeake community. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Mayor Ward, for his years of dedication to Chesapeake and for his selfless service to her citizens.