Paul Gillmor

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly).

Mr. GILLMOR. Is the gentleman asking me a question or making a speech?

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentleman for his comments. There are a couple of things I would like to point out. It is the Republicans on the Committee on Energy and Commerce that caused the broad investigation into lead in the drinking water. It was Republicans on the Committee on Energy and Commerce that asked GAO to look at the perchlorate problem in the water, and I would also point out that the Democrats on the committee were invited to participate in that request and just plain declined to do so. I would also point out that we have started looking at the problem of the actions of the Defense Department regarding environmental cleanups and that we have also held hearings on the matter of movement of trash both interstate and internationally, and that it was Republicans on the committee that developed and caused to be passed a leaking underground storage bill which is now incorporated in H.R. 6, which is the energy bill, which is still pending over in the Senate. It is the Republicans on the Committee on Energy and Commerce that have supported changes to the brownfield redevelopment program. So the thrust of the gentleman's statement that nothing is happening I would take some degree of exception to.

Mr. GILLMOR. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to follow up on a comment by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) who talked about the Republican convention being in New York this year, and that this would help us have good water while we are there. I want to assure the gentleman from New York and other New Yorkers that I am looking forward to attending the Republican National Convention and sampling what the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly) called the ``champagne of water'' while I am there.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to stand before my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to a special person in Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. This year, Lieutenant Colonel Richard W. Laughlin, Professor of Military Science and Leadership at Bowling Green State University, will retire after 20 years of distinguished service in the United States Army. Mr. Speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Laughlin graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in May of 1984. His hard work and dedication at West Point, the Army's pinnacle of leadership, was exceptional. Upon graduation, he branch selected artillery. LTC Laughlin graduated from the Field Artillery Officers Basic Course in 1985, and his competence and professionalism in that field served the Nation well as he advanced in rank. Over a period of 8 years, serving at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and at Fort Richardson, Alaska, LTC Laughlin was promoted to first lieutenant and then to captain while serving as Fire Direction Officer, Battery Executive Office, S2, Headquarters Battery Commander, and as assistant S3. Assigned to the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant professor for military science in 1993, LTC Laughlin was awarded the Governor's Cup for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the best ROTC battalion in the state in 1994. While serving as Chief of Operations for the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, he was promoted to the rank of major. He then transferred to Fort Hood, Texas to serve as Rear Detachment Commander, 82nd Field Artillery. Under his able leadership, the 82nd trained and deployed thousands of combat-ready soldiers to the Bosnian conflict in 1999. LTC Laughlin began his current assignment as a Professor of Military Science at BGSU in 2000. Under his guidance, the ROTC program has been forged into a respected hallmark of the University, with program members participating in numerous campus events. LTC Laughlin's 20-year commitment of distinguished service to his country leaves as its legacy a stronger Army of able combat-ready forces, and a generation of students inspired by his dedication and courage. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to the steadfast patriotism and unwavering spirit of Lieutenant Colonel Richard C. Laughlin. I am confident that his example will serve as an inspiration to a new generation of soldiers who, like him, will be brave and vigilant guardians for the United States and its citizens. May he now enjoy the freedoms and liberties that he has so ably helped to protect over his distinguished career.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the manager's amendment to this bill. I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) both for his outstanding work on this bill and also for allowing an essential provision authored by myself and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) in the manager's amendment. I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for the very effective and the bipartisan way that he has worked to make this amendment happen. Our compromise language closes a dangerous loophole that would allow large commercial entities to obtain bank charters and to be unregulated at the holding company level in providing banking products and services in all 50 States. Section 401 expands the authority of banks and industrial loan companies, or ILCs, to branch across State lines on a de novo basis rather than acquiring an existing bank. That means if a large retailer were to acquire an ILC, they could not only enter the banking industry without being subject to the Bank Holding Company Act but branch freely across the country. This would clearly be in defiance of our longstanding tradition of separating banking and commerce, most recently affirmed by Congress in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999. Large retailers have attempted to acquire, and in some cases have acquired, ILCs in several States and continue to express publicly their desire to offer financial services to their customers. While this amendment grandfathers some ILCs which were owned by commercial firms before, it provides that any ILC acquired in the future must play by the same rules in interstate branching as other financial institutions. There are some commercial or industrial companies who oppose the manager's amendment. Some companies want to prospectively create a giant loophole for themselves that would enable them to branch interstate in a way that no one else can. They include companies such as Wal-Mart, John Deere, Target, among others. The manager's amendment closes the loophole and simply requires they be treated the same as anybody else. The existing business relationships of longstanding ILCs supported by FDIC insurance are protected by our language in the form of a grandfather clause. However, the risks associated with the mixing of banking and commerce are real and the compromise provisions contained in this language such as that allowing corporate reorganizations are not in any way meant to allow circumvention of our overall goal of preventing the acquisition of a grandfathered ILC by a commercial parent. I urge support of the manager's amendment.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to pay special tribute to Mr. Gary L. Bryenton, an outstanding gentleman and good friend from Ohio, upon his retirement from his position as the Executive Partner of the Baker and Hostetler law firm, headquartered in Cleveland, OH. Gary Bryenton grew up on a farm in Litchfield, OH, in Medina County. He graduated from Buckeye High School in 1957. Gary started his professional career following his graduation from Heidelberg College in 1961. He then moved on to work for the Arthur G. McKee Company in Cleveland, as an assistant editor. Gary was graduated from Case Western Reserve Law School in 1965, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the law review and was a member of the National Moot Court Team. Upon graduation, Gary joined the law firm of Baker, Hostetler & Patterson as an associate. Mr. Speaker, in 1972, Gary became a partner in his law firm and was appointed Managing Partner of the Cleveland Office. He became a member of the Policy Committee in 1987, was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 1996, and was elected as the Executive Partner (CEO) of the 550- member firm in 1997. The responsibilities of this position involved directing and managing all executive functions, serving as principal spokesman for the firm, serving on numerous charitable, civic, private, and public company boards of directors, and occasionally taking on the responsibilities as legal counsel for some of the firm's larger clients. Mr. Bryenton has held a number of other administrative positions at the firm, in addition to chairing the firm's Policy Committee. These other positions include Chairman of the Recruiting Committee, Chairman of the Practice Development Committee, and Chairman of the firm's Community Relations and Political Action Committees. Mr. Bryenton has served as a trustee of the Cleveland Bar Association, a member of its Professional Ethics Committee, and Editor of the Cleveland Bar Journal. He also serves on the boards of directors of many corporations and on the boards of trustees of numerous charitable and civic organizations. Mr. Bryenton is a Board member of the Cleveland Orchestra, The National Conference for Community and Justice, The Greater Cleveland Growth Association, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Heidelberg College, from which he and his wife, Barbara, were graduated. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Gary L. Bryenton. Our communities are served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Gary, who care about their well being and stability. We wish Gary and his family all the best as we pay tribute to one of Ohio's finest citizens.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to see that today, after a firestorm of public criticism, we have an increasing appetite, both in Congress and the FCC, for punishing those who repeatedly flout the rules, and we have before us a strong measure, one that will boost maximum fine to $500,000, make it easier for the FCC to fine performers rather than just their employers and threaten to strip licenses of repeat offenders. I should also point out that before and after the Super Bowl incidents, my office received over 500 e-mails from my district concerning indecent broadcasts. I would like to share the message of just one of those constituents. ``I am very glad to see you are taking action to protect our kids from indecent, profane, vulgar and tasteless programming. Just when I thought that TV couldn't get any worse, I witnessed the appalling display at the half-time show of the Super Bowl. My 11-year old son and 15-year-old daughter were speechless. Please know that I am behind you 100 percent. I hope that this bill will strengthen the power of the FCC and allow them to penalize those sponsors.'' I think the American people have had enough of ``costume reveals'' and ``wardrobe malfunctions,'' and I urge passage of the bill.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding gentleman, and good friend, from Ohio. Jim Daubel is set to retire after a 26-year tenure as president, publisher, and editor of the Fremont News-Messenger. Mr. Speaker, when Jim was just a boy, his father, Don Daubel, would take him to the old Fremont News-Messenger building on Arch Street. Jim remembers climbing up on the newsroom desks where he'd bang away on the typewriters the reporters would use everyday. As exciting as those memories were for Jim, they were just the beginning. The Daubel family has been a journalism institution in Fremont dating back to 1925 when Jim's grandfather, F.J. Daubel, purchased the Fremont Messenger at a bankruptcy sale with his brother-in-law L.E. Kinn and associate J.N. Kinn. In 1937, the family purchased the Fremont News, creating the News-Messenger that Jim Daubel would know his entire life. By the time Jim was in the 8th grade, he was working part-time in the print shop, a job he would hold through high school. After he went off to Marquette University in Wisconsin, where he would receive his journalism degree in 1963, he moved into the newsroom. After almost 50 years in journalism, of which the last 30 were spent with The News-Messenger and Port Clinton News Herald, Jim said it was ``just time'' to step down and leave the business--and the paper--that has been such a part of him for as long as he can remember. Jim will leave big shoes to fill in the halls of Fremont's News- Messenger. His wisdom, honesty, and forthrightness are attributes to which all in journalism should aspire. He has set an example for everyone on how to live a life of service, putting the greater interests of the community before one's own. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Jim Daubel. Our communities are served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Jim, who care about their well being and stability. We wish Jim and his family all the best as we pay tribute to one of our district's finest citizens.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay special tribute to an invaluable public servant. Margaret O'Neill, the Occupational Health Nurse, will retire from her long career of public service on January 2, 2004. Margaret was born and raised in Belmont, Massachusetts and graduated from St. Patrick's High School in 1956. She attended Boston University's Medical Center where she majored in Nursing and graduated in 1960 to begin her distinguished record of public service. With Michael, her husband of 37 years and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Margaret spent much of her career serving the soldiers of the United States Army. As a military spouse, she volunteered in various capacities for the Army and Red Cross worldwide. Her service includes work in the Fort Meyer emergency room as well as employment as the Occupational Health Nurse for the 3rd Infantry motor pool soldiers and employees serving Arlington National Cemetery. Her life as a military spouse included 23 moves across the world in 18 years. Margaret and Michael O'Neill are the proud parents of Kathleen, an attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Although she retires as the Occupational Health Nurse of the Longworth Building after 12 years of service, Margaret O'Neill will never slow down. She plans to take time to travel and attend Theology classes at Trinity College. In addition, Margaret will continue her volunteer work at St. Peter's in the District of Columbia assisting the poor and homeless. Mr. Speaker, Margaret O'Neill leaves behind many friends in the Halls of Congress. We are lucky to have experienced her compassion and will miss her dearly. Her wisdom, kindness, and abilities are attributes to which all public servants should aspire. She has set an example for everyone on how to live a life of service, putting the greater interests of the community before one's own. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Margaret O'Neill. Our nation is served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Margaret, who care about their health and well being. We wish Margaret, her husband, Michael, and their daughter, Kathleen, all the best as we honor one of our dear friends.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. I want to commend both the chairman and the subcommittee chairman, as well as the ranking members, for the great job they did on this bill. I rise in strong support of the conference report. Passage of this legislation is essential to maintaining our current national credit reporting system. This legislation maintains the free flow of credit reporting information to lenders, financial services providers, while it also creates some strong new consumer protections. It also includes a provision that I introduced, H.R. 2622, to improve the transparency of the credit scoring systems by mandating that if the number of credit inquiries on a consumers account negatively affect their score, it must be disclosed in their consumer report. This ensures a consumer and a prospective lender are fully informed; and this important new requirement will allow conscientious consumers to shop around for the best loans and rates. I urge my colleagues to support the report.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I also thank him for his leadership on this issue. I am pleased to rise in support of this energy bill conference report which will help ensure an adequate supply of energy. It has significant measures for conservation, to encourage renewable fuels, and to provide for the reliability of our electricity delivery system. While there are a number of good things in this report, because of time I want to mention only two. I was happy to see that two bills which I introduced earlier this session have been incorporated in the report. The first permits States to provide tax credits for the use of clean coal and renewable fuels, and those provisions will save the consumers of Ohio $36 million. The second is the first comprehensive rewriting of the leaking underground storage tank program since it was created. There are approximately 700,000 underground storage tanks, and as of March of this year, there have been over 430,000 confirmed releases. A strong underground storage tank program is essential to protecting our environment and our groundwater supply. It requires that 80 percent of the money of the funds go to the States. It would require an on-site inspection of tanks every year. It requires operator training, permits red tagging of noncompliant tanks, a process that stops delivery to noncompliant tanks. These improvements have a cost, and I am happy that the current underground storage tank program has adequate resources in it that we can provide a significant increase of funds to States to administer this program, and this bill does it. This bill is a win-win for the environment and for those people who use our water supply, and for these two reasons and a number of others, I encourage the Members to support the conference committee report. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of this energy bill conference report which will do a great deal to assure an adequate supply of energy, has significant measures for conservation, and to encourage renewable fuels, and to provide for the reliability of our electricity delivery system. While there are many good things in this conference report, because of time, I will mention only two of those. I was happy to see that 2 bills which I introduced earlier this session have been incorporated in this conference report. The first, H.R. 3336, permits States to provide tax credits for the use of clean coal and for the use of renewable fuels. These provisions, for example, will save the electricity consumers of the State of Ohio $36 million. The second, H.R. 3335, is the first comprehensive rewriting of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program since it was created. There are approximately 700,000 underground storage tanks in the United States containing gasoline, diesel fuel, and toxic chemicals. As of March of this year, there have been, over the years, approximately 430,000 confirmed releases from such tanks. A strong underground storage tank program is essential to protecting our environment and our ground water supply. First it would require that a least 80 percent of all the funds collected for the Federal tank fund go directly to the States to help them with their inspection and clean up programs. Next it would require an onsite inspection of tanks every 3 years. At the current time there is no inspection requirement, and some tanks can go as long as 10 years or more without being inspected. It requires operator training. Most of the spills have come from improper operation of tanks. It also permits red-tagging of non-compliant tanks. This is a process which gives the States authority to effectively prohibit delivery to non-compliant tanks. It stops Federal facilities from exempting themselves for all Federal, State and local underground tank laws. These improvements do have a cost, and I am happy that the current underground storage tank fund has adequate resources in it so that we can provide a significant increase of funds to the States to administer this program, and this bill does that. This bill is a win-win for the environment, for those people who use our water supply, and for those in the industry who want the support. It is a responsible program to protect our environment. For these reasons and many more, I would urge my colleagues in the House to support this conference committee report.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding gentleman from Northwest Ohio, Mr. Harold A. McMaster. As a youth growing up in Northwest Ohio, Harold McMaster's hero was another northern Ohio product, Thomas Alva Edison. From an early age Harold understood the importance of setting goals and seeing them through. Mr. Speaker, Harold McMaster was a unique individual who combined the foresight and analytical nature of the scientist with the acumen and ``street smarts'' of the successful businessman. The former helped him ``see'' how to do things, while the latter enabled him to commercialize his innovations. A physicist, he held more than 100 patents dealing with glass tempering, solar energy and rotary engines. Harold McMaster was known in many circles as the father of glass tempering. He graduated in 1938 from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics and in 1939 with a Master of Science Degree in Nuclear Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. In 1940, he went to work as a research physicist for Toledo, Ohio's Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company, a producer of flat glass for windows and automobile windshields. He received one of his first patents in the early days of World War II for a periscope used by fighter pilots to see behind them during combat. McMaster Motor is the fourth enterprise to be built from the germ of an idea by McMaster and his associates. Other companies founded and nurtured by Harold McMaster include: Permaglass, Inc., Glasstech, Inc. and Solar Cells, Inc. Harold McMaster received the prestigious Phoenix Award as the national glass industry's Man of the Year in 1993. In 1987, Harold McMaster was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Toledo. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Harold A. McMaster. Northwest Ohio was served well by Harold McMaster's innovation and business skill. The legacy of his genius will continue to benefit future generations in engineering and technology.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Audrey Lott is an incredibly bright woman whose life reflects both the spirit and struggles experienced by African-Americans in the United States. This Saturday, October 18, Mrs. Lott will celebrate her 100th birthday. Mrs. Lott is the granddaughter of a former slave who was a messenger for General Grant in the Civil War. Mrs. Lott grew up in Washington, DC and attended pharmacology school while in her 20's. For a time, she worked for Simmons Pharmacy at 21st & L Streets in Washington. She left her job after a few years to stay at home and care for her mother. After her mother passed, Mrs. Lott worked as a housekeeper. In fact, Mr. Speaker, she once served tea to Mrs. Bess Truman and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. In the early 1960's, Mrs. Lott moved to Tiffin, Ohio, which is in my congressional district. Her son, Grant C. Taylor, soon followed. Mrs. Lott and her family have sacrificed much but contributed greatly to the United States. Mrs. Lott is a grand, intelligent lady, an avid reader of a variety of fiction, and a dear, true friend to many. It is in that spirit that I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Mrs. Audrey Lott on the occasion of her 100th birthday celebration. Our communities are served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Mrs. Lott, who care about their well being and stability. We wish her all the best as we pay tribute to one of our nation's finest citizens.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to stand before my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to an outstanding institution of higher education. Ashland University is marking a ``Year of Celebration'' on the occasion of the 125th Anniversary of the school's chartering in Ashland, Ohio. Ashland, Ohio's original settlers trace their roots back to a small group of ``brothers'' who emigrated in 1708 from Schwarzenau, Germany in search of religious and intellectual freedom. Like Ashland's first citizens, the history of this vibrant institution reads as a truly American story. It all began in the summer of 1877 at a town meeting. The German Baptist Brethren Church proposed the establishment of an institution of higher education if the community could raise ten thousand dollars. The resulting fundraising campaign proved successful, and on February 20, 1878, Ashland College was chartered. Classes started on September 17, 1879 with eight faculty members and between fifty-five and seventy-five students. From this modest beginning, Ashland's enrollment has grown to five thousand six hundred graduate and undergraduate students. Ashland College became Ashland University in 1989. The University is and remains a liberal arts institution in the finest tradition of higher education. As such, it is a teaching university, empowering its students not only with current knowledge but also with the power of deliberate reasoning to face the challenges and new horizons known only to the future. I would note that the University's Ashbrook Center for Public Policy is a nationally recognized academic forum for the study, research and discussion of the principles and practices of American constitutional government and politics. The Ashbrook Center's programs are directed to the scholarly defense of individual liberty, limited constitutional government and civic morality, which together constitute our democratic way of life. Mr. Speaker, truly great institutions of higher education not only educate their students, but also inspire them toward a lifetime of service as well. Indeed, Ashland University's 125 years of teaching provides our state with a rich legacy of intellectual, spiritual, social, cultural and physical development. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ashland University's ``Year of Celebration,'' and to extend to the entire Ashland University family our very best wishes.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to stand before my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to an outstanding educator from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. Dr. Larry G. McDougle retires today after a distinguished career as the Fourth President of Northwest State Community College (NSCC) in Archbold, Ohio. Larry McDougle's career in higher education spans more than 3 decades and has touched the lives of students and administrators in fours states. He is the product of Ohio's universities, receiving his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Findlay (1963), his master's degree in physics from Kent State University (1965), and his doctorate in higher education from the University of Toledo (1971). During his professional career, Dr. McDougle has served as a faculty member and administrator in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and South Carolina. Prior to his appointment as President of NSCC, he served as a tenured professor at Indiana University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and at the University of Toledo. I first met Dr. Larry McDougle when he became President at NSCC in October, 1991. NSCC has blossomed under Dr. McDougle's leadership, serving as an educational gateway for approximately 3.500 students in Northwest Ohio. In addition to transfer programs, NSCC offers associate degree and certificate programs in allied health and public services, business and engineering technologies. Dr. McDougle's leadership extends far beyond the NSCC campus. His service includes the Ohio Board of Regents Advisory Committee on Service Achievement and includes membership on the Boards of Trustees of Mercy College of Northwest Ohio, the Northwest Ohio Regional Economic Development Regional Growth Partnership, the Henry County Business and Education Advisory Council, and the Henry County Workforce Investment Board. Dr. McDougle's work has both touched the lives of students and earned the respect of educators and employers. In 1996, he received the Philip J. Rusche Distinguished Service Award from the University of Toledo College of Education and Allied Professions. In 1998, he received the John C. Hoyt Outstanding Employment and Training Leadership Award from the Toledo Area Private Industry Council. Mr. Speaker, there is no greater gift that an educator can give a student than the gift of inspiration. Dr. McDougle has done just that. I ask each of my colleagues to join me in this special tribute. We wish the entire McDougle family good health and good fortune in the coming years.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to stand before my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to a distinguished public servant from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. Fulton County Treasurer Dennis Hales earlier announced his retirement, effective today, after ten years of distinguished local government service. Dennis Hales moved to Fulton County in 1969. Prior to his service in the Fulton County Courthouse, he served in the Evergreen School District, as Evergreen High School Principal for six years, then for four years as Evergreen School District Superintendent. He continued his leadership role in Fulton County's schools, serving three years as Principal of Wauseon High School and for several more years as the assistant superintendent at Four County Career Center. He assumed the office of Fulton County Treasurer in 1993. As Treasurer, Mr. Hale oversaw property and personal property tax collections and manufactured housing tax collections. He managed the investment of excess county funds, earning an average of $1 million annually for Fulton Country. In addition to his distinguished service as a county officeholder, Dennis Hales also contributed his leadership philanthropically to the community. As Chairman of the United Way, Dennis Hales played a major role in merging several communities' efforts into one countywide organization, increasing donations and consequently, enhancing services provided to County residents. He was selected Honorary Chairman of the 2002-2003 Fulton County United Way Campaign. Dennis Hales has also been recognized as the Wauseon Chamber of Commerce's Citizen of the Year. Despite his many accolades, Dennis Hales has never sought personal recognition. Rather, he derives his energy from his dedication to Fulton County and his desire to work with his neighbors to build a stronger community. As he enters this new period in his life, Dennis Hales remains a dedicated family man. He and his loving wife Janice are planning to travel and spend time with his children and grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, the quality of our communities has long been based on the character and selfless service of our citizens. Fulton County, Ohio is a far richer community because of the work and dedication of Dennis Hales. I ask each of my colleagues to join me in this special tribute. We wish the entire Hales family good health and good fortune in the coming years.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a very special tribute to one of Ohio's leading business executives, Mr. Alex Machaskee. Alex Machaskee is the president and publisher of The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper. On Thursday September 18, 2003, Alex Machaskee will be honored by the World Trade Center of Cleveland as the International Business Executive of the Year. Mr. Machaskee's extensive career of forty-three years with The Plain Dealer includes thirteen as publisher. In addition to his many business achievements, Northeastern Ohio is proud of Alex Machaskee's civic involvement. His work on the Board of United Way Services, the Musical Arts Association, the International Children's Games, and Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County, Inc., are merely a few of his numerous civic activities. Alex Machaskee embodies the very spirit of American workmanship through his dedication and service. His commitment to the community combined with his devotion to The Plain Dealer merit the award as International Business Executive of the Year. Mr. Speaker, we are a nation built upon the ideals of capitalism and the embracing of freedom of speech. Mr. Machaskee advances that which binds us together as one great nation. It has often been said that America succeeds due to the remarkable accomplishments and contributions of her citizens. It is evident that Alex Machaskee has given freely of his time and energy to assist in the promotion of his community. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would urge my colleagues to stand and join me in paying special tribute to Mr. Alex Machaskee. On the occasion of being named the International Business Executive of the Year, we congratulate him for his service and wish him the best in all his future endeavors.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to stand before my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to a special library from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. Tomorrow, Thursday, September 18, 2003, the Paulding County Carnegie Library celebrates an important event--the dedication of its Ohio Bicentennial Historical Marker. Mr. Speaker, the Paulding County Carnegie Library is one of a number of distinguished libraries in Northwest Ohio. The library was created in 1893 and housed within various homes and stores of the great community of Paulding County, Ohio. It earned its celebrated distinction when, in 1913, the Carnegie Foundation funded the creation of what remains today as the first county library in the United States funded by Andrew Carnegie. We, in Ohio's Fifth Congressional District, are blessed to have such endowed institutes of learning as the Paulding County Carnegie Library. Open for scholarship on March 3, 1916, the library continues to provide the community with the resources to succeed. The generous gifts of the Carnegie Foundation, funding the creation of 1,945 libraries across America, have contributed to the growth and quality of the American educational system. As a Member of Congress, I have been fortunate enough to visit Paulding County several times. With the Carnegie library promoting excellence in education, Paulding County, Ohio remains a truly blessed community. Mr. Speaker, the ingenuity of the American mind and the resolve to enhance our society are embodied in such public works as Paulding County's library. As we celebrate the dedication of the Paulding County Carnegie Library Ohio Bicentennial Historical Marker, I would urge my colleagues to stand and join me in this special tribute. It is my hope that the promotion of excellence will continue long into the future.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to stand before my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to a distinguished group of citizens in Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. On September 13, 2003, the South Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating 50 years of service to Defiance County, Ohio. No vocation more embodies the spirit of the American community than that of a volunteer firefighter. These modern American heroes--men and women of all walks of life and social station--give freely of their time and talents to prepare themselves to stand watch for the community. We, in Ohio's Fifth Congressional District, are blessed to have such dedicated citizens as the members of the South Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department. In 1953 42 charter members organized under the leadership of Chief Clifford Colwell. Remarkably, three of these charter members are still active in the department today. The department has gone through many changes during its first 50 years of service. A rescue service was added to the department in 1971. The 2-bay fire station was expanded to 5 bays. The lone original 1953 GMC pumper has been replaced by multiple vehicles, including a 2002 custom pumper, a 1971 GMC and a 1984 pumper tanker, a 1998 Ford grass truck, a 1999 GMC rescue until, a lifeboat, a generator set and a volunteer member-owned 1998 GMC tanker. During its first 50 years of service, the department has been blessed by the leadership of 5 dedicated fire Chiefs--Clifford Colwell 1953-58; Clinton Colwell 1958-60; Robert Colwell 1960-80; John Zimmerman 1980- 90; and, Robert Lehman 1990--present. At present time, the department has 39 members with a total of over 571 years of service and experience. Within their membership, the South Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department has third generation firefighters, and the fourth generation is waiting in the ranks. Mr. Speaker, the individuality of the American culture, the freedom of the American spirit, and the American value of neighbor-helping- neighbor is embodied in the tradition of the South Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department. I urge my colleagues to join me in this special tribute. Our Nation is well served when citizens willingly sacrifice for their community. I am proud to represent them in this Congress.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2622, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003. Passage of this important legislation is essential to maintaining our current national credit reporting system. As Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan make clear to the Financial Services Committee in his testimony, if we do not act to extend the uniform national standard for consumer protections governing credit transactions first established in the Fair Credit Reporting Act ``we will have great difficulty in maintaining the level of consumer credit currently available.'' H.R. 2622 maintains the free flow of credit reporting information to lenders and other financial services providers while also creating powerful new consumer protections. Consumers will have the authority to place fraud alerts in their credit reports, preventing identity thieves from using their information and keeping negative information resulting from fraudulent activity from being reported to a credit bureau. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act will also allow consumers to access annually a free copy of their credit score and credit report identifying the key factors affecting their credit worthiness with recommendations on ways to improve their score. A provision I authored in H.R. 2622 will also improve the transparency of credit scoring systems by mandating that if the number of credit enquiries on a consumer's account negatively affects their score it must be disclosed in their consumer report. This ensures the consumer and their prospective lenders are fully informed. This important requirement will allow conscientious consumers to shop around for the best rates on loans or mortgages without unknowingly harming their credit. I would like to thank Financial Services Committee Chairman Oxley and Subcommittee Chairman Bachus for their hard work on this issue and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this vital legislation. The consumer benefits afforded by our national credit system are too important to our nation's economy to be left at risk.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise in opposition to the motion to instruct. The gentleman from Michigan and I agree on having reliability standards. We both represent districts affected by the blackout; but the need for reliability standards is why we already included language in both the House and Senate versions of the bill passed earlier this year. A reliability provision is not a substitute for a robust energy package that we urgently need to address fundamental infrastructure production and conservation issues that are critical to our Nation's energy security. I think it is interesting as we go through this process, after the blackout many of the same people who are saying the only thing we ought to focus on are reliability standards are exactly the same people that before the blackout, when it was important, voted against legislation that had reliability standards in it. But just passing reliability standards would not have prevented the blackout of August 14. There was a lot more to it than that. We have to look at what has been happening in energy, in electricity in the last few decades. Electrical use has been growing significantly and steadily, and it has been growing at a faster rate than transmission capacity. We are putting more and more power into an older grid that is less and less able to handle it. Why? Because we have not had a good energy policy. The problem is going to get worse if all projections are correct, and simply passing reliability standards will not correct it. We need to solve the problem. We need the things that are in H.R. 6. We need conservation to take some of the load off the grid. We need to encourage as a country renewable fuels. That is also part of H.R. 6. We need to increase our energy supply. If we do not increase the supply to keep our economy growing, to keep jobs, we can post reliability standards on every wall in America and people will have a lot of time to read them because they are not going to have any energy to have jobs. We need the provisions in H.R. 6, reliability standards, conservation, renewable fuels and increased supply. For that reason we ought to vote no on the motion to instruct.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding gentleman from Ohio. A scholar, librarian, professor, and writer, Dr. Roger D. Bridges is a well- respected citizen of Fremont, Ohio. Executive Director of The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, Dr. Bridges has earned credentials in a wide range of disciplines. Born in Marshalltown, Iowa, Dr. Bridges received his B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa in 1959, and his M.A. in 1963. In 1970, Dr. Bridges earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Champaign/ Urbana. In 1970, after an early career as a teacher, librarian and assistant professor, Dr. Bridges was named an NHPRC Fellow in Documentary Editing. Assigned to the Papers of Ulysses S. Grant at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Dr. Bridges began his professional career in historical research. In 1971, Dr. Bridges served as the Director of Research for the Illinois State Historical Library in Springfield. In 1976, he was promoted to Head Librarian. In 1987, Dr. Bridges became Assistant Illinois State Historian and Founding Editor of the prestigious Abraham Lincoln Legal Papers for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency at Springfield and Illinois State University. In 1988, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, the nation's first presidential library and museum, asked Dr. Bridges to become the fourth director in the Center's tremendous history. In addition to his prominent position, where Dr. Bridges has worked for the past 15 years as Director of the Hayes Presidential Center, he has received honorary doctorates from Lincoln College and Tiffin University. Furthermore, Dr. Bridges has been honored for his work in civil rights and state and local history. Dr. Bridges is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the Ohio Historical Society, served as Secretary-Treasurer for the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, and is a past member of the Ohio Academy of History Executive Council. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Dr. Roger D. Bridges. Our communities are served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Dr. Bridges, who is a wonderful asset to the state of Ohio. On the occasion of his retirement, we wish Dr. Bridges all the best as we pay tribute to one of Ohio's finest citizens.