Bart Gordon

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the championship season of the Beech High School Lady Buccaneers. The Lady Buccaneers had a tremendous season by winning the 2001 Class AAA girls softball state championship. Residents of Hendersonville, Tennessee, can be proud of their Lady Buccaneers. The team went 45-6 this season and displayed remarkable perservance and resilience. This season's state championship marks the second time since 1997 the team has won the tournament. And the Lady Bucs have reached the championship game four times during that span. The Lady Bucs won the finale in dramatic fashion by scoring two runs against their opponents in the top of the 10th inning. The final score was 2-1, with Beech outdistancing another fine Middle Tennessee team, the Columbia Lady Lions. I commend the Lady Buccaneers and their head coach, Kristi Brinkley, for a fine season and an outstanding win. The following are members of the 2001 state champion Lady Buccaneers; Brittany Barry, Marley Birdwell, Courtney Boynton, Amy Chatham, Casey Duke, Nicole Eckley, Jennifer Grybash, Camille Harris, Cristin James, Courtney Langston, Carissa Lowery, Ashley Sinyard, Brittney Sinyard, Allie Smith, Kristin Stanfill and Amber Warren. Wayne Smith and Mary Day Reynolds also serve as the team's assistant coaches.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous contributions Tracy Walraven has made to Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District. For the past two years, Tracy has been an invaluable part of my Washington, D.C., office. But she is moving on to greener pastures now. Tomorrow will be her last day as my executive assistant. Although my staff and I are sad to see Tracy leave, we are glad she has taken a job that should further her incredibly bright career. Tracy started in my office as an eager intern still in college pursuing her undergraduate degree and wanting to learn as much as possible about the workings and intricacies of Capitol Hill. Her work ethic, intelligence and research skills soon prompted me to offer her a full-time job. She has proven herself a capable, loyal employee. Tracy has ably assumed a wide variety of responsibilities while serving in my office. She is a dedicated and talented professional who accomplishes every assigned task, no matter how complicated. Throughout all the pressures exerted in such a fast-paced workplace, her sense of humor has been a positive influence on everyone. I will always have a special place in my heart for Tracy, who, like myself, is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. Congratulations on your new job, Tracy, and may God bless you in your future endeavors.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I want to give thanks and offer special recognition to an intern in my office, Gary David Dedman. David attends my alma mater Middle Tennessee State University. He interned the entire fall semester in my office, working 35 hours a week. Interns play an invaluable role in helping congressional offices function efficiently and effectively, often performing the most thankless but essential tasks required. David pitches in wherever and whenever he is needed, never complaining and always accomplishing his work on time and of the highest quality. David loves interacting with our constituents. He truly goes above and beyond what is expected of him to ensure the satisfaction of our constituents. This high regard for the people of Middle Tennessee is reflected each and every day in his attitude and dependability. David is a fine young man and has been an invaluable member of my staff. He deserves the highest praise for his dedication to a job well done. It has been a pleasure to have Gary David Dedman serve in my office, and I join my staff in thanking him for all his hard work and invaluable contribution in serving the people of Middle Tennessee.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the championship season of the Jackson County Lady Blue Devils. The Lady Blue Devils recently won a second straight Class AA girls basketball state championship. Residents of Jackson County, Tennessee, can be proud of their Lady Blue Devils. The team went 22-10 this season and showed remarkable perseverance and resilience. Just hours before the team beat their opponents by a 46-42 score, the mother of senior guard Sarah Gipson died after a two-year fight with cancer. The team played with guts and determination despite Sarah's heart- wrenching loss. Sarah's mother, the former Dianne Spivey, was a member of the school's state championship team in 1973. I commend the team and its coach, Jim Brown, for a fine season and gutsy win. The following are members of the 2000-2001 state champion Lady Blue Devils: Candace Stafford, Courtney Childress, Kayla Olson, Becca Focer, Sarah Gipson, Sheena Hager, Jennifer Harris, Ashley Hopkins, Amanda Naff, Deanna Apple, Andrea Davidson, Emily Lane, Marissa Hensley, Megan Pepper, Alyssa Bowman, managers Lucy Anderson, Stephenee Clayton, Faith Henshaw, Lacy Sircy, and trainer Shawn Moffitt. Kevin Bray and Barbara Brown also serve as the team's assistant coaches.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I want to give thanks and special recognition to an intern in my office, Adam Tune Adam attends my alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University. While still in high school he managed to work 25 hours each week, took college level preparatory courses and maintained good grades. Interns play an invaluable role in helping congressional offices function efficiently and effectively, often performing the most thankless but essential tasks required. Adam pitches in where ever and when ever he is needed, never complaining and always accomplishing his work on-time and of the higher quality. Adam loves politics and admires this institution. This high regard is reflected each and every day in his attitude and dependability. Adam has been an invaluable member of my staff and deserves the highest praise for his contribution. It has been a pleasure to have Adam Tune serve in my office and I join my staff in thanking him for all his hard work.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4940 and urge its passage. This designation recognizes the importance and continuing role of Oak Ridge, Tennessee in advancing knowledge. The museum will be a resource for explaining science to students and making the American public aware of how research affects our everyday lives. Mr. Speaker, let me especially commend the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) for his tireless effort and hard work in bringing this designation one step closer to reality. The gentleman has taken on this project with two hands in his normal energetic way, and he certainly should be complimented. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), the ranking member, for their assistance in bringing this bill to the floor. I urge passage of H.R. 4940.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2413. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) have already outlined the provisions of this bill. I would like to take a couple of minutes to stress two points. First, the provisions of this bill are technologically neutral; and second, the bill would allow for strong private sector input in the development of good Federal computer security and authentication practices. The bill that we have on the floor today is the result of 2 years of bipartisan work on the Committee on Science. The Committee on Science has held numerous hearings on these provisions, and we have incorporated constructive changes suggested by the industry and the administration. The resulting legislation strengthens NIST's role in improving the computer security practices at Federal agencies. It also authorizes NIST to advise the agencies as needed on the deployment of electronic authentication technologies. These provisions ensure that the private sector has a strong voice in the development of electronic authentication policies considered by the Federal agencies and that agencies rely on commercially available products and service as much as possible. The bill also makes clear that any Federal policies on computer security and electronic authentication practices by Federal agencies must be technologically neutral. I again want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) for his leadership on this issue and working closely with me on this legislation. We have both been motivated by the importance that we place on the broad issues of electronic security. In addition, I want to thank Mike Quear and Jeff Grove on the Committee on Science and the staff of the Committee on Commerce on both sides for their work for perfecting this legislation. This is a good bill representing sound policy. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2413.

Mr. GORDON

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

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 209, the Technology Transfer Commercialization Act of 1999, and urge its passage. This is a bill but important piece of legislation that will make it much easier to transfer Federal technology to the businesses that can extract economic value from that technology. It has been about a year and a half since this legislation was last on the floor of the House of Representatives. It was a good bill in March of 1999, and it is a good bill now. The only changes which the Senate made to the legislation was to add a section that creates mediators or ombudsmen at each of the Department's national laboratories and makes sure that the appropriate people in the Department's headquarters are kept informed quarterly of the mediators' progress in resolving disputes. This provision is a good idea because some small businesses have been caught up for years in attempting to resolve intellectual property disputes with DOE laboratories. Having mediators in each lab should help small businesses by resolving those disputes much more quickly and inexpensively. The Senate did not change a word in the provisions we sent to them last year. The bill still makes important changes in the law regarding federally owned patents. It will now be easier for small businesses to license these inventions and more likely that taxpayers will get their money's worth from them. I urge my colleagues to think about these businesses, many of which are small and with limited resources, who are risking much to commercialize Federal inventions. This bill will make their lives easier, and it is worthy of our vote. I want to extend my thanks and compliments to my colleagues who worked on this legislation, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barcia). I urge all Members to support this passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a few brief comments in support of H.R. 2607. H.R. 2607, the Commercial Space Competitiveness Act of 2000, is a bill that does a number of important things to advance the competitiveness of the Nation's commercial space transportation industry. First and foremost, the bill extends the commercial space transportation indemnification provisions through 2004. Those indemnification provisions were first enacted in 1988 as part of the Commercial Space Launch Act amendments. They have provided a sensible and highly cost-effective risk-sharing regime that has helped our launch industry compete in world markets. And since their enactment, these provisions have not cost American taxpayers a single dollar in claims. H.R. 2607 does a number of important things, including authorizing funding for the Department of Transportation's Office of Commercial Space Transportation and the Department of Commerce's Office of Space Commercialization. The Office of Commercial Space Transportation in particular has been responsible for licensing U.S. commercial launches and launch facilities, and this legislation recognizes the need to provide the resources needed to carry out its duties. Before I close, I would like to just express my thanks to my colleagues, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), Senators McCain, Hollings, Frist and Breaux. Without their collective efforts, we would not be considering this bill today. Mr. Speaker, the House originally passed H.R. 2607 more than a year ago. The version before us today reflects the incorporation of some minor but constructive changes requested by the Senate. I believe this bill is a useful piece of legislation and I urge my colleagues to vote to suspend the rules and pass this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON

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

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary, could not be here today; but I will submit his statement. If I could take a brief moment, Madam Speaker, my friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady), this is his last or soon to be last presentation, I suspect, before this body; and I just want to say that over the years he has been here, there may be some that have disagreed with him on occasion, but hopefully no one would ever disagree that he is a man of integrity. I appreciate his friendship. I know he is going to enjoy going back and spending more time with his family, and I want to wish him well in his endeavors in Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and will just quickly conclude by saying that I concur with the accolades of the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), and would also again thank her for her initiative in this area.

Mr. GORDON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of legislation of which I am an original cosponsor, H.R. 3850, the Independent Telecommunications Consumer Enhancement Act. It is this type of legislation that represents what can be accomplished by working with Members on both sides of the aisle to find consensus. Working together with my colleague, the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), we were able to craft this bipartisan bill which I believe is a practical step that we can take this year to address the growing digital divide in our Nation's rural areas. H.R. 3850 provides targeted regulatory relief to small and midsized independent telephone companies that serve fewer than 2 percent of the Nation's phone lines. Allowing such companies to devote more resources to deploying high speed data services to their customers, these carriers are uniquely positioned to play a large role in the development of advanced services to consumers in rural and small communities. Unfortunately, they are wasting resources complying with one-size-fits-all regulations originally intended for the larger carriers. H.R. 3850 would eliminate unnecessary reporting requirements, make it easier for small and midsized companies to introduce new advanced services and give them the flexibility to lower prices in response to competition from larger companies. Finally, it would ensure that FCC take into account the burden on smaller businesses when it implements Federal Rules in the future. Instead of spending money on complying with useless regulations, this bill will allow companies to devote more of their resources to rolling out new advanced services to rural communities. H.R. 3850 is a common sense step we can take to close the digital divide in rural areas, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett), a cosponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GORDON. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish a happy 112th birthday to Tennessee's oldest surviving World War I veteran, John George Painter of Hermitage Springs. He is also believed to be the nation's oldest surviving veteran. Born on September 20, 1888, in the Keeling Branch community of Jackson County, Tennessee, Mr. Painter enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 29 to fight what was then called the ``War to End All Wars''. Mr. Painter saw action in France's Argonne Forest where he hauled ammunition and field guns to the front lines with teams of horses and mules. He was honorably discharged on April 12, 1919, and returned home to Jackson County where he resumed his career as a blacksmith. There he married his childhood sweetheart--the former Gillie Watson--and raised two daughters. Mr. Painter's courage during that brutal war earned him one of France's highest honors, the Order of the Legion of Honor. Only five other Tennesseans have received the distinguished award. As we celebrate Mr. Painter's birthday today, I congratulate him for the tremendous contributions he has made to the United States and to the never-ending fight for freedom.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Ann Brown, the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. She has served as Chairman for more than six and a half years, since March 10, 1994. She is by far the longest serving Chairman of the CPSC. The previous record was four years and three months. Chairman Brown has compiled an outstanding record at the CPSC. When she came to the Agency, she found it virtually moribund, the staff dispirited, and its vital safety mission fallen far from public view. Ann Brown has revitalized the Commission by inspiring its staff and gaining wide public recognition for its safety message through the publicity she has generated for the Agency in the national media. Chairman Brown has made the safety of children a personal priority. Through effective regulatory action, encouraging voluntary steps by companies, and creating unique public-private partnerships with industry and other governmental agencies, she has enhanced the safety of every child in America. Shortly after becoming Chairman, she learned that the strings and cords on children's jackets were becoming caught on playground slides and school bus doors and strangling children. She promptly convened a meeting of representatives of the clothing industry and persuaded them to replace the hazardous strings and cords with snaps and Velcro. When a Commission employee developed the idea of a baby safety shower to provide gifts that would make a child's first years of life safer, Chairman Brown created a partnership with the Gerber Corporation to promote these safety showers across the nation. Working with states and local governments, she launched an annual ``recall round-up'' to get dangerous consumer products out of consumers' homes. She developed a partnership with the US Postal Service to get posters of the ``most wanted'' dangerous recalled products displayed in post offices across the nation. In keeping with her commitment to the safety of children, Chairman Brown has given special emphasis to the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. On her initiative, the Commission issued warnings to parents to remove soft bedding from the cribs of infants under 12 months to avoid the risk of suffocation. This year, the Commission developed a program with seven major retailers of baby bedding products to inform parents on how to keep their babies safe in their beds. Under Ann Brown's leadership, the CPSC has been recognized for its innovative and effective programs. In 1998, CPSC won the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award for its Fast-track recall program. The award is given by the Ford Foundation, in cooperation with Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and the Council for Excellence in Government. Under Fast-track, CPSC gets defective products off store shelves more quickly, thereby reducing dangers to American consumers. Chairman Brown has also been personally recognized for her efforts in support of consumer safety. The National Safe Kids Campaign designated her a ``Champion of Safe Kids.'' The National Association of Government Communicators has given her its award as ``Government Communicator of the Year'' and on September 20 the American Academy of Pediatrics will present her with its prestigious Excellence in Public Service Award for her contributions to children's safety. Mr. Speaker, the nation is fortunate to have such outstanding public servants as Ann Brown. She has made the CPSC a model of effectiveness for other agencies to emulate. Accordingly, it is appropriate today that we recognize and highly commend Ann Brown as the longest serving Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report on H.R. 1654, the NASA Authorization Act of 2000. I was a conferee on H.R. 1654, and I know the work that went into coming up with an agreement. While it is not a perfect piece of legislation, I believe that it is a constructive agreement that contains a number of useful policy provisions. It also establishes funding targets for the next 2 years, which can provide important direction and stability for the Nation's civil space program. The Statement of Managers that accompanies the conference report lays out the major funding authorizations. It also describes some of the policy provisions included in H.R. 1654. As a result, I will not spend a great deal of time discussing the details of H.R. 1654; instead, I would just like to make the following points: First, this bipartisan conference report endorses, and in some cases, augments, the administration's funding priorities for NASA. I am pleased that we can get a bipartisan agreement that the administration's vision for NASA should be supported. Second, the conference report adds funding in several important areas. One of these areas is in education. I know firsthand in my district how important it is that we do all we can to support science and math education, especially at some of our smaller colleges and universities. Therefore, we have included increased funding for NASA's teacher faculty preparation enhancement programs in this bill. Mr. Speaker, in addition, many Members recognize the value of the national space grant college and fellowship program, and the bill increases funding for that worthy program. We also have provided funding above the President's request for minority university research education, and we have increased the funding for the experimental program to stimulate cooperative research. Another area where the conference has added funding is in the area of aeronautics. We have seen the stresses that the air traffic transportation system is facing these days, and we all are concerned about the impacts on our quality of life. That is why this conference report significantly increases the amount of funding for research on aircraft noise reduction, and for the development of cleaner, more energy efficient aircraft engines. The bill also makes a significant investment of $70 million in NASA's Aviation Safety Research Program for both fiscal years 2001 and 2002. Mr. Speaker, I will not take any more time to review the conference report, as I know there are others who would like to speak. Instead, I would just like to close by expressing my appreciation to my fellow conferees in both the House and Senate for their efforts to make this a productive conference. I am pleased that we were able to reach an agreement, and hope the House will support this conference report.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate Dr. James Walker for his accomplishments during his tenure as Middle Tennessee State University's president. Some of Dr. Walker's accomplishments are easily seen, like the new buildings on campus--the business aerospace building, nursing building, student recreation center, state-of-the-art library, student apartment complex and Greek Row. All were desperately needed bricks-and-mortar projects for a growing campus with changing technology needs. As an alumnus and avid Blue Raider football fan, I was particularly thrilled by the recent renovation of the Johnny ``Red'' Floyd Stadium. The renovation helped moved MTSU's football program to Division I-A. Enrollment at MTSU has increased nearly 32 percent from 15,673 students in 1991 to a projected 20,663 students this fall. Under Dr. Walker's leadership, MTSU has attracted more high-quality students. During the past 10 years, MTSU student ACT scores have surpassed state and national averages. Just last year, MTSU was given the go-ahead to establish Tennessee's first Honors College. During his tenth year as MTSU President, Dr. Walker is leaving to become president of Southern Illinois University, where, at the age of 30, he worked as an assistant professor. Dr. Walker's administrative colleagues at SlU, MTSU, University of Northern Colorado, California State University, Illinois State University, University of Alabama and Western Michigan University can attest to his many accomplishments and accolades over the last 30 years. Dr. Walker, thank you for the many wonderful things you did for MTSU and the entire Middle Tennessee community. I and many other Nfiddle Tennesseans will surely miss your leadership and enthusiasm. Good luck at Southern Illinois University.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I wish a happy 100th birthday to Samuel R. Bacon of Cookeville, Tennessee. Mr. Bacon is a remarkable man who has lived a successful and rewarding life. He will turn 100 on July 1, 2000. Reared on a dairy farm just outside of Baltimore, Maryland, Mr. Bacon graduated from the University of Maryland and went to work as a soil scientist. He eventually went to work for the United States Department of Agriculture and traveled the entire nation putting his experience and abilities to good use for a number of communities. After 35 years at the USDA, Mr. Bacon went into business distributing key chains, small tools and the like to about 400 stores. At the age of 91, he finally retired from that second career. Mr. Bacon and his wife, Reba, now deceased, shared their good fortune with the Cookeville area throughout the years. They contributed to more than 30 charities, and through Mr. Bacon's support, Reba was able to establish an art league in Cookeville. Thanks to the generosity and support of the Bacons, the Cumberland Art Society has flourished into an integral part of the community. Always wanting to help his community, Mr. Bacon delivered Meals on Wheels to the elderly and disabled until he was 98. An example of this man's extraordinary fortitude was the time he walked, at the age of 74, from Lebanon, Tennessee, to Monterey, Tennessee, a distance of nearly 70 miles. Asked why he wanted to walk such a distance at that age, Bacon replied, ``I just wanted to see if I could do it.'' I congratulate Mr. Bacon for his tremendous contributions to the country and to his fellow man.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the 100th year of existence of the Greater First Baptist Church of Lewisburg, Tennessee. The congregation will celebrate the church's 100th anniversary on Sunday, June 25, 2000. The church was first erected in 1900 as a one-room building heated with wood and coal. In 1959 the church underwent a much-needed expansion and renovation project under the guidance of the Rev. W.P. Johnson, who was called to pastor the church in September 1941. Johnson's son, the Rev. Herbert Johnson, took over as pastor of Greater First Baptist Church in September 1997. The elder Johnson now serves as the church's pastor emeritus. The church has served its community and congregation well for an entire century, a time during which our nation struggled through much change and innovation. Through those many years, though, Greater First Baptist Church never faltered in its commitment to bring the Lord's word to the people. Lewisburg is a much stronger community because of the work of the church and its congregation. I congratulate the congregation's perseverance and am sure the church will be just as strong during its next 100 years of service.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the career of Angelo Volpe, president of Tennessee Technological University and the longest currently serving public university president in the state of Tennessee. Dr. Volpe's retirement on June 30, 2000, will mark 13 years at the helm of the university. During Angelo's first week at Tennessee Tech, he and his wife, Jennette, started a tradition that would endear them to thousands of students to come. They opened their home at Walton House to the entire freshman class, shook every hand and learned something about each person. Often he would later surprise a student by remembering a name, hometown or favorite sports team. His dedication to the individual is one of the qualities Tech students and faculty have come to appreciate in Angelo Volpe. Angelo's tenure at Tennessee Tech saw many accomplishments. He presided over the first two capital campaigns in the university's history, both of which exceeded expectations. he saw the addition of two Ph.D. programs, two Chairs of Excellence and three new construction projects. Angelo also worked diligently to create the Leona Fisk Officer Black Cultural Center and the Women's Center. Possibly his greatest achievement is that Tennessee Tech achieved all these accomplishments and maintained a commitment to educational excellence in the face of five years and $4 million dollars in budget cuts. Angelo and Jennette Volpe's presence will be missed on the campus of Tennessee Tech. I am pleased, though, they will remain in Cookeville, TN. I congratulate him on an admirable and distinguished career and wish him well in retirement.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ray Minton on his retirement as the Cannon County Election Commission's Administrator of Elections. He has served as Cannon County's chief election officer for 32 years. A lot has changed since 1968, the year Ray started working for the Cannon County Election Commission. Ballots have gone from paper to computer, and records from handwritten to typed to computer. District lines have been redrawn. Candidates have won or lost by the will of the voting public. No doubt the biggest change in Ray's life and the event that led him to the election commission was the discovery of a cancerous spinal tumor. After losing the use of his legs, he began to work part time at the election commission as part of his recovery. Ray has said that the work kept him busy and made him feel needed. And I can assure you that Ray has been, and still is, needed by his community and friends like myself. We will sorely miss him, but I'm sure Ray will continue to be a positive role model, admired for his attitude and service to his community. Ray, I wish you the best of luck in any new endeavors you decide to take on and for you to have a long and happy retirement spent with your family and friends.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding career of John Ed Miller, who is retiring from BellSouth on March 31 after working more than 30 years with the company. John Ed has not only had a distinguished career with BellSouth, but he has also been an outstanding civic leader in the Middle Tennessee area. John Ed began his long telephone career with BellSouth soon after his graduation from Vanderbilt University in 1966. He progressed through a number of assignments in the Nashville and Birmingham offices before assuming his present position as BellSouth's corporate and external affairs vice president for Tennessee. John Ed has also taken an active role in his Middle Tennessee community. He serves and has served on numerous civic boards and organizations, demonstrating his concern and love for Middle Tennessee. His tireless dedication to these organizations has truly made Middle Tennessee a better place to live. His leadership and vision at BellSouth will be sorely missed. I congratulate John Ed Miller on his outstanding career and wish him well in his retirement.