Ralph Hall

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I continue to yield to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu).

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I am offering with the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) will adjust the funding authorized in the bill in response to the administration's budget request for fiscal year 2001. I would like to briefly describe the amendment and then turn to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) for a description of the value and impact of the amendment. The purpose of H.R. 2086 is to authorize the portfolio of information technology research activities that are formally coordinated among the Federal R&D agencies. This includes the authorization for new programs to implement the recommendation of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee for a major new initiative focused on long-term, high-risk research. This amendment addresses the two funding issues raised by the President's fiscal year 2001 budget request for information-technology research. First, the budget request changes the baseline for formally coordinated research activities. The baseline now includes projects that the various agencies have been conferring on but that were not reported to the Office of Management and Budget for fiscal year 2000 as part of the formal interagency program. H.R. 2086, as reported, is below the fiscal year 2001 request partly because the bill assumes the lower baseline level in determining the authorization level for the fiscal years 2001 through the year 2004. The second funding issue the amendment addresses is a significant increase that the fiscal year 2001 budget request provides for new research support. I support this proposed increase because it will reverse the 36 percent shortfall in the appropriations level for fiscal year 2000 for the information-technology research initiative, as well as the 13 percent shortfall for all coordinated information-technology research programs. The amendment also adjusts the level of the Department of Energy authorization to reflect the fiscal year 2000 appropriations level. Finally, the amendment adjusts the outyear authorizations for the two agencies to maintain the same total percentage funding growth between fiscal years 2001 and 2004 as provided by H.R. 2086, as reported. This long-term focus of the bill, I think, also will provide support for an area of great importance for all of our citizens. Most important to me in the entire bill is the biomedical research. Information technology has become increasingly important to the medical sciences. It holds the key to harnessing the vast quantities of genomic data being gathered in order to understand the expression and control of genes. Statistical analysis of large databases is central to the diagnosis and treatment of medical illnesses. Medical imaging techniques rely on complex software and algorithms. Other research under this initiative will address fundamental studies of robotics that will revolutionize the practice of medicine. Advances in robotics will lead to applications, for example, to allow surgeons to manipulate and repair blood vessels. Devices at the micron scale will provide physicians with the capability to search out and destroy cancer cells at the earliest stages of the disease. Mr. Chairman, this bill will help enable the future. I commend the measure to my colleagues and ask for their support. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu).

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, as is usual in the courtroom, we save the best for the last. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall). (Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), a very valued member of the committee. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), a senior Member from California. (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise, of course, in support of H.R. 2086, the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act. It is a bill to support a coordinated basic research initiative in information technology. The chairman of the committee covered that very well. I think it was introduced, of course, by the chairman of the Committee on Science, with bipartisan cosponsorship. I am pleased that the committee acted in a spirit of cooperation to perfect the bill. Some improvements have come from both sides of the aisle and were accepted during the markup of the measure. H.R. 2086, as reported, enjoys, as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) reported, broad bipartisan support. I congratulate the gentleman for his leadership in moving the bill forward for consideration of the House. I thank the late George Brown for his input. Mr. Chairman, I also want to knowledge the efforts of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith) and my colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the chairman and the ranking member, respectively, of the Subcommittee on Basic Research, for their contributions to the development of the bill. Information technology is transforming the way people live, the way people learn, the way people work, and the way people play. It has been estimated that information technology is responsible for at least one- third of the Nation's economic growth since 1995. I would also submit that H.R. 2086 will help to ensure that the advances that we have referred to here in information technology continue. This will in turn, I think, create new infrastructure for business, new infrastructure for scientific research and personal communication. This will go hand-in-hand with the next 5 years of what I believe are going to be the greatest years and era of prosperity certainly since I have been in this Congress. It is the first time that we expect, we reasonably expect, that we are going to have a surplus to work with to do the things that we really ought to do to push this country forward. The bill supports research needed to underpin the technological advances that are going to emerge even 20 years from now. I think it will take up some of the slack that this Congress lost when we killed the super collider. My goodness, how destructive we were of finding our place in the field of technology when we cast that vote. Put another way, the initiative is focused on the long-term high-risk research that industry itself cannot fund, for a lot of reasons. Due to intense competitive pressures, the computer and communications companies are forced to concentrate their resources on near-term development that is necessary to bring products to market rapidly, so we understand that. But in addition to generating the new ideas that will form the basis for future products and services, the programs authorized by H.R. 2086 will train the next generation of scientists and engineers who are essential to ensure continued U.S. leadership in information technology. The bill will accomplish this valuable outcome through its focus on university-based research. They are waiting with bated breath for this support, this new support, which combines leading edge research with graduate student education. I will offer an amendment, Mr. Chairman, at the appropriate time to increase the authorization level for the National Science Foundation program to align the bill with the fiscal year 2001 request. The bill has received very strong support, not only from the academic and industrial research communities, but from a wide range of computer, software, and communication companies. It has also been endorsed by broad industry groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 2086 is a bipartisan bill that will lead to many societal benefits. It will help ensure that this Nation continues to maintain economic growth and international competitiveness in the information economy of the 21st century. I ask for the support of my colleagues for the passage of this bill. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations to Barbara Russell of Denton, Texas, who this year was named the 1998 Realtor of the Year by the Texas Association of Realtors. Barbara has served on the Texas Association of Realtors Board of Directors and is a former regional vice president and chairman of the legislative and economic development committees. She also served two three-year terms on the National Association of Realtors Board of Directors. In Denton, Barbara has earned many honors, including the Greater Denton/Wise County Association of Realtors President's Award, Women's Council of Realtors Gold Rule Award, Realtor of the Year and Associate of the Year. In addition, she is active in various civic and charitable organizations, including serving as former chairman of the board of the Denton Chamber of Commerce and serving four years on the Denton Planning and Zoning Commission. Barbara has nearly 30 years of experience in the real estate business, and this recent award is a testament to her professional accomplishments and her hard work. She is married to Benny Russell, and they have two daughters and four grandchildren. And Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I also did not pay tribute to the late Mary Claude Gay, a prominent realtor in Denton and associate of Barbara's. Mary Claude's contributions to her profession also have been significant, and she, too, was very influential in Denton's community life. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Barbara Russell and Mary Claude Gay for their accomplishments in their profession and for their contributions to their community. The Texas Association of Realtors could not have selected a more giving and devoted Realtor of the Year. Barbara Russell is a class act and is the epitomy of the type of leadership and professionalism that bring respect and admiration for her profession. As we adjourn today, and as we leave the floor of the House of Representatives for the last time this century, let us do so in respect and appreciation for the ``Texas Realtor of the Year''--Barbara Russell.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding individual and close personal friend, James W. ``Dub'' Hayes of Whitesboro, Texas, who died suddenly on October 3 of this year. Dub was well-known and well-liked in Whitesboro and Grayson County as a prominent community leader who genuinely cared about people. His influence will be felt for generations to come. Dub was honored as Outstanding Citizen of Whitesboro three times--in 1965, 1978, and 1994--a testimony to the contributions he made to the life of his home town. At the time of his death he was serving as a director of the Grayson County College Foundation, treasurer of Whitesboro Citizens for Excellence in Education and a member of the Whitesboro Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. He was an ardent proponent of education, having served for 33 years as a Trustee of Grayson County College and as past president of the board. He served on the Board from 1965, the year the school opened until 1997. Dub also served as a charter member of the Texoma Blood Bank Board of Directors, a member of the Grayson County Airport Board and the Texoma Regional Planning Commission, past president of the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and Quarterback Club in Whitesboro. Dub was active in the First Baptist Church of Whitesboro, where he served for many years as deacon, treasurer and Sunday School teacher. Dub and his brother, Ed, owned and operated a retail pharmacy business in Whitesboro for 28 years. Dub also worked as a pharmacist for 15 years at Wilson N. Jones Hospital--and continued working until his death as a relief pharmacist and consultant. Dub will be lovingly remembered as one of those pharmacists who was willing to get up in the middle of the night to fill prescriptions for those who were sick. He was a member of several professional organizations, including the Grayson, Collin, Cook Pharmaceutical Association, the Texas Pharmaceutical Association, the Texas Society of Hospital Pharmacists and the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists. Born in 1925 in Whitesboro, the son of the late James Albert Hayes and Ruth Cherry Hayes, Dub graduated from Whitesboro High School, attended North Texas Agricultural College in Arlington and received his Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas. He served his county during World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. In 1949 he married his wife of 50 years, Ruth Helen Acker. Dub is survived by his wife, Helen; three children, Diane Hayes Gibson and her husband, Mark; Dr. Jim Hayes of Dallas; and Bill Hayes and his wife, Kelly; four grandchildren, Laura and Robert Gibson and Sarah and Charlie Hayes; brother, Ed Hayes, and his wife, Pat; sister- in-law Marjorie Acker Laney and her husband, Bobby; three nieces and two nephews. Mr. Speaker, Dub Hayes was a truly great man who lived a life of devotion to his family, his community, his church, and his profession. He was a community leader who led an exemplary life--and he was loved by all who knew him. We will miss him--but his memory will be kept alive in our hearts and in our thoughts--and his legacy will continue to be felt in Whitesboro and Grayson County. Mr. Speaker, as we adjourn today for the last time during this century, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying our last respects to this outstanding man and great American--James W. ``Dub'' Hayes.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to rise today in recognition of Don W. Scoggins, president of the Texas Eastman Division of Eastman Chemical Company in Longview, Texas, who is retiring this year after 37 years of service at Texas Eastman. Mr. Scoggins joined Texas Eastman in 1962 as a Mechanical Engineer in the Plastics Laboratory. He has served as a supervisor, assistant supervisor, assistant to the general superintendent, senior mechanical engineer, and assistant superintendent of various divisions at Texas Eastman. He also served Eastman Chemical in Kingsport, Tennessee, in a variety of capacities before returning to Texas Eastman as director of Administration. He was named manager of Operations in 1989, became a vice president in 1990 and was named president in 1998. Mr. Scoggins received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas. He serves on the Texas Chemical Council's Board of Directors and on the Board of Trustees at Good Shepherd Medical Center. Texas Eastman's influence on economic development and community causes in Longview has been enormous, and the employees and administrators at Texas Eastman--like Don Scoggins--have played a significant role in those accomplishments. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Don Scoggins for his contributions to Texas Eastman Division and to his community--and to wish him well in his retirement. I am especially privileged in that Don's mother and father live in my hometown of Rockwall. They are, like Don, strong and loved members of the First United Methodist Church. They teach, direct, entertain, and lead us in both the Sunday School class and in the overall direction of our religious activities. As we adjourn today--the last day of this century that the United States House of Representatives is in session--let us adjourn on this signal day in respect and admiration for Don Scoggins.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a well-known and beloved citizen of Terrell, Texas--Myrtie Hargrove Bozeman, who died on September 1 at the age of 90. Known locally as ``Myrtie,'' she will always be remembered for her devotion to her community and for her widely-read column, ``The College Mound News,'' published in the Terrell Tribune. Her column, which ran for more than forty years, was a chronicle of the every-day activities of this close community. Miss Myrtie was born at College Mound Community, the daughter of Neb and Maudie Baxter Hargrove, and lived there and in Terrell all her life. She attended school at College Mound and Wesley College. In 1930 she married Jake Bozeman, who precedes her in death along with their only child, Jack Bozeman. Miss Myrtie was an active member of the College Mound Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women, the Kaufman County Children's Shelter, the Business and Professional Women's Club, the Terrell Story League and the College Mound Cemetery Association. She also worked as a dispatcher for the Terrell Police Department and later as director of social services at Blanton Gardens of Dallas. She devoted her life to helping others, and her commitment to community service led to her being honored as Terrell's Citizen of the Year and as College Mound's Woman of the Year. Survivors include her sisters, Maggie Yarbrough, Ona Tuggle and Oneta Ott; daughter-in-law Inace Bozeman Howied; granddaughter Lynne Bozeman Crews and husband Charles; Peggy Bozeman Morse and husband Frederick; and Debbie Bozeman; and great-grandchildren, Cara, Clint and Cassie Crews and Paige, Hilary and Jess Morse. She is preceded in death by sister Viola Crouch, brothers Clarence, Willie, Frankie and Fonzo Hargrove and granddaughter Jenny Beth Bozeman. Mr. Speaker, Myrtie Hargrove Bozeman's affection for those who lived in College Mound and Terrell was evident in her news columns and in her personal involvement in the life of those communities. She was very special to me. During my long years of public service, I kept in touch with Miss Myrtie. She, even in her last years, was modern and up-to- date in her thoughts and activities. She kept me aware of all of the pie suppers and silent auctions and church activities at the College Mount United Methodist Church. She had her own unique and friendly way of making everyone feel welcomed and wanted. We cannot replace her, but we can always remember her. Mr. Speaker, Miss Myrtie will be missed by all those who knew her-- and as we adjourn this legislative session, let us do so in her memory.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, with the passing of Claud Easterly, editor of the Denison Herald for 30 years and one of his hometown's foremost historians, comes the end of a generation of old-fashioned newspapermen who learned their trade on the job, not in the classroom, and who preferred their old typewriters to computers. Such a man was Claud Easterly of Denison, TX, who died this year at the age of 91. During Mr. Easterly's career, he interviewed five U.S. Presidents, several Vice Presidents, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, my predecessor in the fourth district, bandleader John Phillip Sousa, magician Harry Houdini, Father Flanagan of Boys Town, New York Mayor LaGuardia and heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, among many other State and national dignitaries. Yet he said that his greatest experiences were ``in helping record the more routine events that reflected the failures and successes, joys and sorrows of the folks here at home,'' according to the Herald Democrat, the newspaper that succeeded the Denison Herald and to which he continued to contribute articles and serve as a reliable source until shortly before his death. Claud Easterly knew his community well and served it well through 30 years as editor of the city newspaper. Inspired by his high school English teacher, he proved adept at writing. He was named the first editor of his high school newspaper and upon graduation from high school approached the editor of the Denison Herald, who agreed to hire him at no pay until he learned the job. Three months later, he was put on the payroll at a salary of $12.50 per week, and as they say, the rest is history. In addition to his famous interviews, he covered many historical events, including the Red River Bridge war in 1931, the construction of Denison Dam in the 1940's and the local perspective of World War II. In addition to his newspaper responsibilities, Mr. Easterly also was active in the civic life of Denison. He served as president of the Lions Club, a director of the Chamber of Commerce and a board member of the Public Library. Following his retirement in 1972 as editor of the newspaper, he campaigned for and was elected to the Denison City Council. He also was a member of Waples Memorial United Methodist Church. Claud Easterly was born in Denison in 1907, the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Easterly. In 1931 he married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Davis. Following her death in 1967, he married Mrs. Ophelia Taylor, who survives him. Also surviving are his son David Easterly and daughter- in-law Judy, stepson Richard Taylor and wife Carol; stepdaughter Carolyn Arnett and husband Butch, a brother Doug, 10 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Claud Easterly was proud that his son, David, followed him in the newspaper business, getting his start alongside his father at the Denison Herald. David is now president of Cox Enterprises, which owns and operates a number of newspapers, including the Atlantic Journal & Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Claud Easterly lived during the tenure of three representatives of the Fourth District of Texas--Speaker Sam Rayburn, Ray Roberts, and myself. He knew our district as well as we did, and so it is both an honor--and fitting--to ask my colleagues to join me in paying our last respects to this great newspaperman from Denison, TX-- Claud Easterly. His memory will be preserved in the archives of his newspaper--and in the hearts and minds of those who knew him.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a community leader from Longview, TX, the late Gordon Clayton Johnston, Sr., who gave generously of his time and energies to a variety of worthy community causes prior to his death on March 17 of this year. Mr. Johnston was born in Norphlet, AR, on July 24, 1925, but grew up and lived a majority of his life in Longview. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater and returned to Longview to marry Mildred McHaney in June 1946. He then attended Kilgore Junior College, serving as drum major for the Ranger Band, and following graduation entered the School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Upon his return to Longview, he entered the oil business with his father, the late E.C. Johnston, Sr. He was a charter member of the First State Bank of Longview Founding Board (presently Longview Bank & Trust) and retired at the end of 1991 after 33 years of service. He also was a charter member of the Longview Savings and Loan Board, which he served for 19 years. Throughout his life he was active in community service. He was a charter member of the founding board of the Longview YMCA and served continuously for more than 20 years, including two terms as president. He was an officer of the Longview Chamber of Commerce and Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was a community advisor for the Junior Service League (now Junior League of Longview) and served on the United Way Budget Committee. He was a longtime member of Pinecrest Country Club, charter member of the board of the Summit Club and a member of the Cherokee Club. Mr. Johnston also was devoted to the First Christian Church, where he had been a member since 1946. He served as a deacon and an elder for a number of years and in 1987, along with his wife, Mildred, he received the honor of being named elder emeritus. He served for many years on the church's board and served as chairman for 2 years. An outdoorsman by nature, he was an ardent supporter of fish and game conservation in Texas, Colorado, and Alabama. He enjoyed ranching, raised and showed Appaloosa horses, and was a member of several hunt clubs. He is survived by his wife, Mildred; children, Kathy Jackson, Gordon Clayton Johnston, Jr., Mark Johnston, Elaine Kauffman, Beth Ylitalo, and Kent McHaney Johnston; 16 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his brother, E.C. Johnston, Jr., of Longview. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Johnston is missed by his many friends and his family, but his memory will live on through the legacy that he leaves to his community, his church, and his family. It is an honor to pay my last respects to Gordon Clayton Johnston, Sr.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who was an outstanding citizen of the Fourth District of Texas-- Barbara Alice Knipp of Ladonia, who died on July 3, 1999, at her residence. Barbara was devoted to her community and to her family, and she will be missed by all who knew her. Barbara was born on April 20, 1921, in English, Red River County, TX, the daughter of Theodore R. and Annie Bell Hunter Duncan. She was a member of Business and Professional Women, worked as a dental assistant and office manager for 34 years, taught at Lawton College of Dentistry at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and worked in office management and as a consultant. She was president of American Legion Post 247 in Honey Grove and served as fourth district chaplain. She also served as Girls State chairman for Post 247 and Post 17. In 1993 she married Joseph Daniel Knipp in Wolfe City. She is survived by her husband, son and daughter-in-law Don and Bobbie Callaway; sons Clay, Ray and Bobby Knipp; daughter and son-in-law Joan and Kenneth Alexander; daughter Margaret Manning; sister and brother- in-law Kay and Don Loden; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Bobbie and Sam Smith; 18 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and four great- great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Martin Duncan, a baby brother and a son, Kenneth Callaway. Barbara was a kind and caring person. She was a longtime valued close personal friend to me and my entire family. She loved her family and loved life. Barbara, in her last battle against cancer, fought bravely--as did her husband, J.D., and her entire family. It is for Barbara--and others in the desperate and menacing clutches of cancer, that we continue to fund medical research--and use the bioreactor in the space station to seek answers to cancer, diabetes, heart, and other dreaded diseases. So Mr. Speaker, as we adjourn today, let us do so in memory of Barbara Alice Knipp and her many contributions to the life of her community and to her family.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a truly outstanding American, Henry M. Bell, Jr., of Tyler, Texas, whose death on August 24, 1999, leaves behind a remarkable legacy of accomplishment--and leaves us with memories of a truly great man who was devoted to his family and community, who spent his life in service to others, and who was beloved by all who knew him. Mr. Speaker, Henry Bell was an exemplary man and a good friend of mine, and it is an honor for me to pay tribute to him in the Congressional Record for all to read. Henry Bell was one of Tyler's city fathers. As the Tyler Morning Telegraph stated, ``Mr. Bell exemplified the spirit of community service, lending his time and talents to his church and numerous civic and professional organizations.'' Tyler's flourishing medical community, institutions of higher education, and economic infrastructure owe much of their foundation and success to the vision and efforts of Henry Bell. Mr. Bell's civic involvement reflects his devotion to his community. He was instrumental in the growth and development of the East Texas Medical Center, where at the time of his death he served as chairman of the board for the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System and the ETMC Foundation. He also was a member of Texas Healthcare Trustees. In addition, he was just as committed to the development of higher education opportunities in Tyler. He was an ardent proponent for the University of Texas at Tyler, where he served on its Development Board. Mr. Bell's involvement also helped create thousands of jobs for East Texans at area factories that he helped bring to Tyler. He was a key player in the former Tyler Industrial Foundation, through which he helped bring to Tyler the General Electric air-conditioning factory, now operated by the Trane Company; the Bryant Heater Company, now Carrier Corporation; and the Kelly-Springfield tire factory. For his efforts, in 1971 he received the T.B. Butler Award, which recognizes the most outstanding citizen of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. In every facet of Tyler's civic and professional life, Henry Bell's impact can be felt. Beginning in 1948, he devoted his career to Citizens First National Bank of Tyler (now Regions Bank), where he served in several executive roles, including president and chairman of the board. He retired as senior chairman in 1993. He served as president or board chairman for the Chamber of Commerce, Texas Rose Festival Association, United Way of Greater Tyler, American Red Cross, Smith County Heart Association, Better Business Bureau, Tyler Petroleum Club and Willow Brook Country Club. He served as a board member for the University of Texas Health Center, Salvation Army, Junior Achievement, Texas Chest Foundation and Texas College, which awarded him an honorary degree. He also served as past chairman and board member of the Teachers Retirement System of Texas. He was a senior warden at Christ Episcopal Church and past board member of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and the Bishop Quin Foundation. He was a member of the Henry Bell Lodge No. 1371, AF&AM, and member of the Sharon Temple and Scottish Rite Bodies. The awards and accolades that Henry Bell received are numerous, but as his friends will testify, he accepted them with a spirit of humility that was his trademark. As one longtime friend noted, ``From his early adult years he approached every subject on the basis of what good could come out of it for Tyler.'' Another friend and civic leader called him ``the quintessential Southern gentleman'' and part of a generation that had a tremendous influence on the growth and development of the city. A descendent of one of Tyler's founding families, he was born January 23, 1928, in Tyler to Henry M. Bell Sr. and Elizabeth Loftin Bell. He received a B.S. degree in industrial administration, having attended The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., and Yale University in New Haven, Conn. Preceded in death by his loving wife of 47 years, Nell, who died in February, 1999, Mr. Bell is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Henry M. Bell III and Allen and Cindy Bell; mother, Elizabeth; granddaughters, Lendy, Audrey and D'Ann Bell; great-grandson, Christian Bell; sister, Dorothy Finn; and several nieces and nephews. Henry Bell was a great man, an outstanding citizen, and one whose influence will be felt for generations to come. He was more than that to me--he was a close and wonderful friend--one that cannot be replaced--but can be long remembered. So as we adjourn today, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying our last respects to one of Tyler's great leaders and my good friend, Henry Bell, Jr., who will be missed by all those who knew him.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, like the other Members who have spoken here before me, I have a special affection for our dearest friend George Brown. But unlike these other Members, I also have a special privilege--the privilege of attempting to carry on Congressman Brown's work as Ranking Democrat on the Science Committee. This is no easy task. More than anyone I could ever imagine, George Brown was born to be the Chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Two fires burned within George. On the one hand, he devoted his mediations and tailored his actions toward achieving justice and equality for all those in our society. In his 35th year in Congress, he continued to take the time to read the works of the ancients--Greek, Roman, Eastern and Middle Eastern--as well as the works of modern philosophers. He, like them, was obsessed with the concept of social justice and how its pursuit would contribute to an ideal society. But even more so, George loved science, space, and technology. George came from humble beginnings in Holtville--in the heart of the hot and arid farmlands of the Imperial Valley. From the beginning George was an extraordinary student. He graduated from high school at the age of sixteen and, in the year or two between high school and UCLA, read nearly every book in the Holtville library. Science moved him even then. He studied the stars, read technical journals, and devoured science fiction. One can imagine, perhaps as H.G. Wells ``War of the Worlds'' played on the radio, a seventeen-year-old scholar with the body of a linebacker, looking up at the crystal-clear desert starlight and imagining the wonders of human and robotic space exploration. George would speak about two Members of Congress who taught him valuable lessons about the institution. In his freshman term, George served on the Education Committee. The Chairman, Adam Clayton Powell, quickly learned of George's interest in post-secondary education and training and gave the freshman Member from California the lead on re- authorization of many of those programs. It was a lesson George never forgot and one he often repeated with young, inexperienced Members of the Science Committee from both sides of the aisle. There are many current and former Members of the Science Committee who can point to significant legislative accomplishments that they are able to claim because of Chairman Brown's modesty and support. He also talked frequently about my fellow Texan Olin ``Tiger'' Teague, who chaired the Science Committee in the 1970s. There were no two Members of the Democratic Caucus further apart politically than George and Tiger. But each had a deep respect for the other's fairness and honesty. Tiger developed the habit, when confronted with a thorny political problem on the Committee, of calling George into his office and asking for George's advice on how to solve the problem most justly. George himself adopted this practice. Any Member--conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat--who was sincere and had done his or her homework would get a fair hearing from Chairman Brown. In my ten Congresses, I have not seen a Chairman who was more fair to his Committee Members than George Brown was. George leaves a large and important legacy in this institution and particularly in the Science Committee. I am honored both to be part of these remembrances this evening and to have a small role in trying to continue that legacy.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to alert my colleagues to the formation last month of a very important new organization, the Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus. The caucus is cochaired by our colleagues, Representative Dennis Moore of Kansas, and Representative Walter B. Jones of North Carolina. Both of these gentlemen have a great deal of first hand experience in helping their neighbors recover from the ravages of tornadoes and hurricanes. These Members are to be commended for their efforts to sensitize their colleagues to the extent to which the problems these storms cause are avoidable with proper planning. This caucus will be dedicated to achieving a 75 percent reduction in damage from windstorms by the end of the coming decade. Remarks of Mr. James E. Davis, executive director of the American Society of Civil Engineers and also the remarks of Congressmen Jones and Moore, which were made last week at a reception celebrating the formation of the caucus are found below. Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus Reception Remarks by Representative Dennis Moore (D-KS) Caucus Co-Chair October 27, 1999 To paraphrase Mark Twain, everybody talks about the weather but this caucus does something about it. All 50 states are vulnerable to the hazards of windstorms. During Hurricane Floyd alone, North Carolina lost 48 lives, more than twice the number of deaths along the entire Eastern Coast for the 1998 hurricane season and is now faced with staggering economic damages in the billions of dollars. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew resulted in $26.5 billion in losses and 61 fatalities. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo resulted in $7 billion in losses and 86 fatalities. In 1998, a calm year according to experts, due to wind related storms there was more than $5.5 billion in damages, and at least 186 fatalities. The federal government invests $5 million to develop and promote knowledge, practices, and policies that seek to reduce and where possible eliminate losses from wind related disasters. In contrast the federal government invests nearly $100 million per year in reducing earthquake losses through the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. A federal investment in Wind Hazard Reduction will pay significant dividends in lives saved and decreased property damage. The Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus or ``Big Wind'' will develop a program to reduce loss of life and property by 75% by 2010. Damage can be substantially reduced through the development and implementation of an effective National Wind Hazard Reduction Program. This program will address better: design and construction methods and practices; emergency response; use of modern technology for early-warning systems; building codes enforcement; and public education and involvement programs. We are focused on increasing the awareness of Members of Congress about the public safety and economic loss issues associated with wind, increasing public safety and decreasing the economic losses associated with tropical storms, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. In my own hometown of Wichita, Kansas, a tornado rated F4 intensity, plowed through the suburb of Haysville on May 3, 1999. It was responsible for 6 deaths, 150 injuries and over 140 million dollars in damage. Tornadoes are one of nature's most violent storms. in an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported across the United States, resulting in 80 deaths and over 1,500 injuries. A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of 250 mph or more. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Through we still can not control the weather, with this caucus we will at least be able to do something about it. Thank you for coming to the kick-off reception for the Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus. I also want to thank the American Society of Civil Engineers especially Brian Pallasch and Martin Hight for their insight into the development of this caucus along with Jim Turner, Democratic staff of the Science Committee. Legislation is not created in a vacuum; Congressman Jones and I look forward to working with all of you in the months to come. Remarks by Representative Walter Jones (D-NC) Thank you for your warm welcome. I am pleased to be a co- chair of the Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus, also known as Big Wind. My district and many other districts in North Carolina are extremely vulnerable to the hazards presented by windstorms. The most recent string of hurricanes to sweep the Eastern seaboard is testament to the severity of these storms. In North Carolina alone, Hurricane Floyd took 48 lives, more than twice the total number of deaths along the entire eastern coast during the 1998 hurricane season. And it is predicted that the economic damages will reach well into the billions of dollars. Still we have yet to realize the full impact of these hurricanes, both financially and environmentally. For these reasons I am pleased to be part of the Big Wind Caucus. It is vitally important to increase awareness for public safety and decrease the enormous economic loss associated with wind hazards. I look forward to working with Congressman Moore and the members of this caucus to increase public education and the use of effective prevention measures to deal with windstorms. On that note, I would like to introduce my distinguished colleague and co-chair, Congressman Dennis Moore. He has first hand experience dealing with the devastation of wind hazards, as he represents a district frequently struck by tornadoes. I applaud his efforts and enthusiasm to make this Caucus a reality. Remarks by Mr. James E. Davis Good evening, and welcome to the Inaugural Event of the Congressional Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus. I am Jim Davis, Executive director of the American Society of Civil Engineers, one of the sponsors of tonight's event. We are very pleased to be working with the many Members of Congress, here tonight, on reducing the hazards associated with tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes. Representatives, Walter Jones Jr., of North Carolina and Dennis Moore of Kansas have taken the lead and created the bipartisan Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives. To support the Caucus efforts, ASCE will organize and lead a Wind Hazard Reduction Coalition of related professional societies, research organizations, industry groups and individual companies to leverage research and development activities. These groups to date include the following: Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE, American Iron and Steel Institute, American Portland Cement Alliance, Anderson Window Corporation, Applied Research Associates, Clemson University, International Code Council, and Texas Tech University. Again, thank you all for being here, and we look forward to working with all of you to increase Congressional awareness of the public safety and economic loss issues associated with tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms and thunderstorms, and to develop and implement an effective National Wind Hazard Reduction Program.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, two years ago I was privileged to be the sponsor of the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act, which passed the House floor by a vote of 398 to 16 before being signed into law by President Clinton. The Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act said that we don't want federal tax dollars going to pay for euthanasia, and we don't want euthanasia going on in federally controlled facilities such as Veterans' Hospitals and Public Health Service facilities. The Pain Relief Promotion Act says we don't want federally controlled drugs being used for euthanasia. That is a popular position with the American people. In a nationwide poll in June, 64% answered ``no'' when asked whether federal law should allow the use of federally controlled drugs for the purpose of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Only 31% said ``yes.'' That's better than 2 to 1. We are trying to help people live! One of the parts of the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act that was very important was a rule of construction that made clear that funding and facilities could be provided ``for the purpose of alleviating pain or discomfort, even if such use may increase the risk of death, so long as ``the purpose was not ``of causing, or * * * assisting in causing, death * * *.'' The American Medical Association wrote, ``This provision assures patients and physicians alike that legislation opposing assisted suicide will not chill appropriate palliative and end-of-life-care.'' I am glad to see that very similar language is included in the Pain Relief Promotion Act, along with important positive programs to increase the knowledge of health care personnel at the clinical level to be able to control pain. I am sure that is a large part of why this bill is endorsed by so many medical and end-of-life care groups, including the American Academy of Pain Management, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the AMA, the National Hospice Organization, the Hospice Association of America, and Aging with Dignity. Even the Hemlock Society, which works to legalize assisting suicide and of course therefore opposes this bill, concedes that ``the bill encourages aggressive pain relief for the terminally ill.'' Our distinguished colleague, Mr. Nadler from New York, voted against the bill in the Judiciary Committee because he thinks controlled substances should be available for assisted suicide in states that legalize it. But at the Judiciary Committee markup, Mr. Nadler said, ``[M]ost of the secondary reasons for opposing it, the pain issue and so forth, I really don't think are very valid and I think the bill has really been cleaned up in that respect.'' Some of the groups that still oppose the bill, it's important to understand, don't oppose assisting suicide. The American Pharmaceutical Association, for example, has a formal policy that ``opposes laws and regulations that * * * prohibit the participation of pharmacists in physician-assisted suicide.'' Mr. Skip Baker, the head of the Society for Action on Pain, has called the ``Oregon suicide law a much needed law.'' But suicide is not the solution. You don't really solve problems by getting rid of the person to whom the problems happen. Once we accept death as a solution, we begin to lose the incentive and the drive to work on positive alternatives. We can do better than that in America. This bill is a good start. It will help us end the patient's pain, not the patient's life. Please support it.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be a cosponsor. Certainly Dwight David Eisenhower is a great man. I support Senate bill 1652. As my colleagues know, one way to remember the legends of our country is to from time to time do like we are doing right here today, have a time to discuss their past and their service and to have a living or an existing memorial, as this bill will spawn, as an archive that will link us to some great days in this country, the time when we had the strongest financial position and the strongest geopolitical position of any country in the world that Dwight David Eisenhower was in leadership. I think this gives us a good feeling today, and it gives us confidence in tomorrow because of all the good things this great man did for us yesterday. I recognize that he made a meteoric rise as a man in the military. I think in 1935 he was in the Philippines with General Eisenhower. In the early 1930s he attended college, of course, at the U.S. Military Academy, drenched in military tradition, and this may be my week to honor Texans because just earlier this week one of our United States Senators and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) and others of us spoke in Dallas about Audie Murphy, Audie Murphy who was honored by having a stamp stamped with his name and his picture on it, his portrait there. It is a 33-cent stamp, and Audie Murphy was given 33 medals. I think that is coincidental, but many of those medals were given and presented to Audie Murphy by Dwight D. Eisenhower, and it is also kind of a Texas day because Dwight David Eisenhower was born in Texas, and we have a library, we have a boulevard named after him in Denison, Texas in Grayson County. I also see a Texas connection to Dwight David Eisenhower, not that he was born there, but he gave his greatest service amid Texans. Sam Rayburn was Speaker of this House, Lyndon Johnson was majority leader, and they worked with this Republican, two staunch Democrats, to have good government and to render him a great and an acceptable President. So I think as we today, as we rise in honor of Eisenhower, a man who received the greatest popular vote, over 62 million cast their votes in the polls in November of 1956, we honor a man not just for his victories in war, but for standing tall in peace at a time when we needed it. It is an honor to cosponsor this resolution and to recognize one who answered the call, stood tall, gave to all of us, and I think will go down as one of the great generals in history, and certainly one of the fine Presidents. It is good that we recognize him by passing this act today.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2607. The U.S. commercial space launch industry currently leads the worlds, and we can all be proud of that. At the same time, U.S. companies face tough competition from overseas launch providers. And each of those non-U.S. companies have the support of their countries in sharing the risks associated with launching payloads into space. One of the important ways that we have been able to keep the commercial playing field level is through the indemnification provisions contained in the Commercial Space Launch Act, as amended. Unfortunately, those provisions are set to expire at the end of this year if they aren't renewed. H.R. 2607 will extend the indemnification provisions for another five years. I think that these provisions are critical to the continued health of the U.S. commercial space launch industry, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2607.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2436. I appreciate the author that introduced the legislation that would make it a federal law to protect unborn children. Mr. Speaker, the bill to me simply states that, and I quote, an individual who commits a Federal crime of violence against a pregnant woman and thereby causes death or injury to her unborn child will be held accountable for the harm caused to both victims, mother and child. H.R. 2436 does not attempt to overturn Roe vs. Wade. It would not offend me if it did, but it does not, nor infringe on the rights of a woman to have an abortion. The bill applies after conception and before delivery. Opponents of the bill have said that this bill is a back door to eliminating a woman's right to choose, but this bill is about choice, Mr. Chairman, but it is about choice after the choice favoring life has been made. It is about protecting women's right to make certain choices. If a woman chooses to bring a new life into the world, H.R. 2436 will allow under federal law for the prosecutions of those who callously disregard that choice. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2436 and make criminals accountable for their malicious acts against a pregnant woman and her unborn child.