Darlene Hooley

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let us recognize the life and praise the sacrifice of an American Hero. Just a few days ago, Sergeant Jacob Simpson was killed in action during a reconnaissance patrol in Iraq. Jacob died as he lived--helping the people of Tikrit in their efforts to secure a peace, and realize their aspirations for a democratic society. Oregon mourns his passing. As a society we have too few of his character; we will all feel his loss for years to come. Jacob was an exceptional young man who possessed a kind heart, an inquisitive mind, and a dedication to family and friends that was as uncommon as it was devout. After completing his general education studies, Jacob entered the United States Army to build a new life for himself. Sergeant Simpson was a proud, dedicated soldier; he was a team player, always willing to volunteer for an extra job, a hard assignment--but he was so much more. He was a patriot--an earnest young man who believed citizenship meant responsibility. Jacob Simpson accepted the duty of being an American as freely as he did its freedoms. True to his nature, Sergeant Simpson used his time in uniform to adjust his focus, investigate his academic interests--to develop a plan for rest of his life. Jacob planned on attending college after his discharge. But Jacob will never again enjoy the winds of the Columbia Gorge, the view of Mount Ashland, or the sounds of his guitar. He returned to Iraq for a second tour of duty well aware of the challenges, the risks, and dangers. He gave his last full measure of devotion keeping faith with his charge. Jacob Simpson never faltered, never wavered, and never failed--he understood his duties and sacrificed everything he had, and everything he never would have, for the ideals of liberty. His courage is a lesson for us all. In his brief twenty-four years, Jacob Simpson made a difference in the lives of thousands. With hope, determination, and uncommon valor-- Jacob helped blaze the trail for a new generation of lraqi's to have the right to choose a new destiny. It is now up to us left behind, here--to ensure the life and death of Jacob Simpson is remembered--to keep its promise. Let us recommit ourselves to the tasks at hand. We must never forget.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, just in closing let me say, homeland security, we all want to make sure that our country is as safe as possible. Homeland security is a responsibility of all of our citizens. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I offer today is very simple. It would prevent any of the money in this bill from coming from increases in airline ticket taxes. This is an amendment to protect consumers, to protect our struggling aviation industry. Earlier this year, the President's budget included a $1.5 billion increase in the aviation security passenger fee, using this to largely offset his $2.2 billion homeland security increase. This increase, if enacted, would represent over a 50 percent increase in airline fees. Federal taxes and fees already account for as much as 40 percent of the price that consumers pay for their domestic ticket. Given the current state of our aviation industry in this country, we should not further punish them with higher taxes. Our homeland security is our national security, and we should not foist the bill off on just a few people or single industry. While the bill before us does not include language increasing the aviation security passenger fee, it does authorize the same level of funding as the President's budget, and there is no offset for the additional spending. Mr. Chairman, I am concerned that increasing the aviation security passenger fee will negatively impact consumers and will saddle a struggling industry that is already in trouble with an additional $1.5 billion in taxes. I encourage my colleagues to support my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox).

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me this time. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Oxley) for his work. In addition, I would like to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) whose bill we have before us today who has done a tremendous job and recognize his staff for all of their hard work. The FDIC reform bill is truly a bipartisan piece of legislation that continues the bipartisan working style of the Committee on Financial Services that has allowed the committee to be extraordinarily productive. The FDIC Reform Act of 2005 contains needed reforms that will bring the deposit insurance system into the 21st century by enhancing the value of our insured deposits, improving retirement security for all Americans, and ensuring that the value, cost, and benefit of deposit insurance is shared equally. Most importantly, H.R. 1185 gives flexibility of the FDIC to manage the deposit insurance according to risk and economic conditions. No longer will we ask financial institutions to pay higher insurance premiums when banks can least afford to pay them and when funds are most needed for lending to jump-start our economic growth. H.R. 1185 updates the deposit insurance coverage levels for the first time in 25 years. I agree with my ranking member who said we are making a much bigger deal out of the $30,000. H.R. 1185 also updates deposit insurance coverage levels for the first time, as I said, in 25 years. It increases the maximum coverage from $100,000 to $130,000, doubles the amount of coverage for retirement funds to enhance the retirement security of our senior citizens and those planning for retirement, and indexes for inflation every 5 years as a way of preserving the value of the deposit insurance safety net. H.R. 1185 also increases coverage limits for in-state municipal deposits to $2 million or 80 percent of any deposits over $130,000, whichever is less. By extending municipal deposit coverage, this bill not only protects taxpayers from potential consequences of a failure of local financial institutions but promotes community development by encouraging local government agencies to keep their funds on deposit with a local financial institution, thereby making the funds available for lending back to the community. So it makes a lot of sense when we look at our small local banks. Finally, this bill takes the needed step of merging FDIC's Bank Insurance Fund and the Savings Association Insurance Fund, eliminating potential disparities in the premiums paid by banks and thrifts, and reducing the administrative burden of operating two separate insurance funds. This legislation will give Americans an even more stable and secure insurance system for deposits in their banks, thrifts, and credit unions. These needed reforms will bring the deposit insurance system into the 21st century by enhancing the value of our insured deposits, improving retirement security for all Americans, and ensuring that the value, cost, and benefit of deposit insurance is shared equally. I urge my colleagues to support the FDIC Reform Act of 2005.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, on April 28, 1989, the world observed the first Workers Memorial Day in honor of the 2 million people who die each year as a result of workplace injury or illness. Fifteen years later, we remember the Americans who died on the job this past year and recall the hard work that still needs to be done in the United States to keep our working men and women safe. The date of April 28th was chosen in recognition of the anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1971. Since its creation, OSHA has helped reduce the rate of workplace death and injury through the work of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. But over 6 million workers in the United States still become sick or injured each year as a result of their work. To maintain a strong and healthy economy, America needs a safe and healthy workforce. Federal safety and health standards are vital, as is funding for job safety research. Last year in Oregon, dozens of workers gave the ultimate sacrifice to their professions: their lives. I would like to honor their memory now by recognizing them: Wendell S. Alden, Joshua I. Allen, Michael W. Barton, Camilo U. Becerra-Corona, Daniel R. Becker, Joyce D. Boothe, William R. Bronco, Daniel J. Buckley, Harriet T. Burk, Curtis Claflin, Dean I. Corliss, Jaime M. Diaz, David L. Dunn, Daniel W. Ealy, Paul D. Ferbrache II, Vernon L. Fraley, Robert A. Friedman, Larry R. Fry, and Gary Fullerton. Obdulia Garcia, George R. Green, Robert T. Green, Paul W. Haley, David P. Henning, Carl B. Hestmark, Charles T. Hickey, Hugh C. Holdt, John F. Janzen, Cody Jones, Aryck J. Kalinsky, Cory R. Kepple, James Ladd, Paul Linck, Terence D. Little, Bin Lui, John T. Lumsden, Steven J. Maine, Patricia M. McVicker, Donald L. McCready, Douig K. McKay, Donald R. Mobley, and Bret D. Montgomery. Ronald A. Nissen, Mile Obredovic, Ernest Oleman, Grant Overlock, Susanna Parish, llaben D. Patel, Skip Perry, Robert L. Peterson, Drew M. Pierson, Herbert O. Pishion Jr., Rita R. Pratt, Gary Richey, Teresa L. Rines, Juan C. Rios, Kenneth W. Robinson, Ralph E. Robinson, Gerardo Robles-Tejeda, Jeffrey L. Ross, and Billy J. Rucker. Manfred Schiller, Russell H. Simpson, Ivan D. Smith, Robert G. Smith, Angelica Solis-Molina, Kevin M. Southwick, Jeffrey

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long and successful career of Portland State University softball coach Teri Mariani, which will come to a close on Sunday, April 24, 2005, as she coaches her final games at PSU. It's been a long time, but I remember Teri from her days as an outstanding student and a fine athlete when I had the privilege to coach her in high school at St. Mary's Academy in the late '60s and early '70s. Back then, without the opportunities afforded by Title IX that are available today, the chance for young women to compete at any level were limited. Still, Teri managed to shine. I remember taking a team, including a then-sophomore Teri, to play basketball in the Portland Recreational League. Teri, always serious in the classroom, was just as driven to succeed on the court. But that's the sort of dedication to excellence that Teri maintained as during her years at Portland State. Since the 1970s, Teri has been a fixture on the Portland State campus--first as a stellar three-sport student-athlete, then as an administrator and, since 1977, as coach of the softball team. Teri will leave Portland State with the school record for the most victories in any sport, 631, and a winning record in 10 of her last 16 seasons. Ranked 15th overall among all Division II coaches with 646 wins, Coach Mariani also successfully led the Vikings during their transition to the Division I level in the 1998 season. During her career, the Vikings went to the NCAA playoffs nine times, and placed nationally four times, with a best finish of third in the nation in 1991. For her accomplishments, Teri was inducted into the Portland Metropolitan Softball Association Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. In addition to coaching softball, Teri has been Associate Athletic Director, Interim Athletic Director, and twice the department's Senior Woman Administrator. She has not only coached young women and helped them succeed on the field, but has been a mentor to them as they pursed their education. Hundreds of young women have had their lives impacted in a positive way by Teri Mariani, and while I am sad to see her long tenure as coach come to an end, her contributions to the sport and the university will be felt far into the future.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Ms. HOOLEY. I am, Mr. Speaker, in its present form.

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer a motion to recommit that would provide $100 million in health and $50 million in job training transitional assistance to help active duty forces make the transition to the veterans benefits system. The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) and I have been working on this issue together and trying to add $1.3 billion for VA health care and reintegration services. While our amendment was ruled not in order, we now have a chance to ensure that this supplemental includes at least some funding for vital health and employment services. America is currently asking more of its all-volunteer military force than it ever has before. Yet even as America prepares to continue its large and prolonged military campaign in Iraq, it has done very little to provide for the veterans of this war. Our obligation to support our troops does not end when they leave Iraq. But how are we supposed to provide adequate health care to these new veterans when we did not even meet the needs of our current veterans? The fiscal year 2005 Omnibus was $1.3 billion short in the amount that then Secretary Principi, as well as the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, stated was needed to just maintain the current level of veterans health care. We also need to make sure that our returning soldiers have the readjustment assistance they need, particularly for members of the Guard and Reserve. You have to understand, these members do not go back to a base, they go back to their home State and then are scattered throughout that State. Members of the National Guard returning home face immense challenges in transitioning out of active duty deployment and back to civilian life. While the State Guard offices are working to provide these returning soldiers with important information regarding their health care, employment assistance and other transitional services, they simply do not have the money they need to complete the education and counseling necessary for a smooth transition back to civilian life. I think our returning soldiers deserve better. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this motion to recommit and keep our promise to our Nation's veterans. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule. Last night, I offered an amendment before the Rules Committee that would have added $1.2 billion to this bill for VA health care and $100 million for reintegration services for National Guard members being released from active duty. Unfortunately, my amendment was not ruled in order. America is currently asking more of its all-volunteer military force than it ever has before. Yet even as America prepares to continue its large and prolonged military campaign in Iraq, it has done very little to provide for the veterans of this war. Our obligation to support our troops does not end when they leave Iraq. But how are we supposed to provide adequate health care to these new veterans when we cannot even meet the needs of our current veterans? Last year's budget was $1.3 billion short of the amount that VA Secretary Principi, as well as the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, stated is needed just to maintain the current level of veterans' health care services. We also need to make sure that our returning soldiers have the readjustment assistance they need, particularly for members of the Guard and Reserve. Members of the National Guard returning home face immense challenges in transitioning out of active duty deployments and back to civilian life. They do not go home to a base. They go home. They are scattered throughout the State. While the State Guard offices are working to provide these returning soldiers with important information regarding their health care, employment assistance, and other transitional services, they do not have the resources needed to complete the education and counseling necessary for a smooth transition back to civilian life. Our returning soldiers deserve better. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can consider this important amendment and keep our promises to our Nation's veterans.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, as soldiers returned home after defeating the tyrannical and oppressive Axis Powers in World War II, the Oregon State Legislature responded to a citizen mandate in creating a new agency to oversee services to veterans, their dependents and survivors. This agency was charged with the sacred duty of caring for Oregon's sons and daughters, husbands and wives, who made the ultimate sacrifice in risking--and sometimes forfeiting--their lives for the cause of freedom. This month marks the 60th anniversary of the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs creation. During that time, the ODVA has assisted Oregon's veterans and their loved ones in obtaining education, securing both service-connected and non-service related disability and survivor benefits, providing home loans with favorable interest rates, enabling appropriate medical care, and generally improving the quality of life for Oregon's veterans. I rise today to thank the ODVA and its employees for the important service they provide to our state. I am heartened by the ODVA's sixty year record of accomplishment and I look forward to many more years of service to Oregon and its community of veterans.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the City of Toledo's 100th birthday. For a century this Oregon town has stood on the shores of Yaquina Bay at the foot of Oregon's Coast Range. From the beginning Toledo grew and prospered because of the area's abundant natural resources, and timber has long provided the economic base for the community. In its early days, many small sawmills processed the surrounding lumber while the closely located waterways provided easy transport. World War I brought the U.S. Army Signal Corps to Toledo to build a large sawmill and logging railroads into the woods, providing the small town the infrastructure to harvest the nearby stands of spruce and fir. Today, Georgia-Pacific's factory in Toledo remains one of the largest employers in Lincoln County, and Plum Creek Timber continues to manage timberlands in the Coast Range to ensure that timber will remain an abundant resource in Toledo's future. Toledo has seen a lot in its 100 years. It has faced many changes, yet throughout it all, it is still thriving, ready to face another century. So, Mr. Speaker, I stand before you on this 17th day of February, 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Toledo and convey my warmest regards to its residents.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, today we honor the life, passion, and patriotism of Nainoa K. Hoe, First Lieutenant, United States Army, a fallen American hero. Although I have shared the stories of selflessness and sacrifice of our fallen soldiers before, this time is different. First Lieutenant Hoe never lived in the Congressional District I represent. Truth be told, he never lived in Oregon. But his wife Emily, her family, and their friends were hopeful about the day he might. His widow is a senior at Western Oregon University; she is proud of him and his contribution. Her greatest concern has been for her husband's men, his family, and the friends in their life. It seems that bravery, commitment to service, and honor were personality traits shared by husband and wife. The young Hoe family will not get the years they deserved, but they are an example of love that we should all strive to emulate. Just days ago, First Lieutenant Hoe was killed while leading his platoon on a foot patrol in Mosul. With him, the dreams of a radiant young couple with so much to offer--so many things to live and do--were buried in the sand of a country in transition. Sadly, First Lieutenant Hoe was almost home. His rotation nearly completed, he was scheduled to return to the Pacific Northwest on February 6, 2005. Though proud of his contribution to the long-term stability of Iraq and its people, he was an excited newlywed, looking forward to building a family, winning a position at the FBI, and enjoying the freedoms he had worked so hard to protect. For Nainoa, courage was a family value. He believed that military service was an expected privilege; a duty that he proudly discharged. He reveled in his role as a commander of a combat platoon--a duty similar to the kind his father Allen Hoe completed during his time in Vietnam. First Lieutenant Hoe believed there was nothing more important--no duty more sacred--than defending the ideals of this Nation, of fighting for a cause greater than him. He believed these things knowing full well it meant risking his life, liberty, and his own happiness. I believe we live in a smaller world these days. It grows smaller with each tragedy such as this. Every life matters--especially when it holds such promise. Oregonians today are feeling the loss. Let us commit ourselves, here--in this chamber--to work even harder and do our part to make sound decisions about matters of peace and war; to be worthy of the trust Nainoa K. Hoe placed in our hands. Let us pledge ourselves to being worthy of the sacrifice Nainoa freely offered; we owe him, and those that will follow, nothing less.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to introduce Pastor Stan Peterson this morning. Stan is a senior pastor at Monmouth Christian Church, as well as the lead chaplain for the Polk County Police and Fire Chaplaincy Team. His family has deep roots in Polk County, which is part of Oregon's Fifth Congressional District. Stan Peterson has come to Washington, DC to visit our troops at Walter Reed, Bethesda, and the VA hospitals. I am hoping that later today and tomorrow he can deliver the letters, quilts, cookies, and holiday spirit to the young men and women who have given so much for this Nation. On behalf of Polk County Emergency Services and the people of the community, Stan has come to Washington, DC, to share a message of good will and support. I am so delighted that he has made the trip and grateful that he has been able to give the invocation on this historic day, Pearl Harbor Day.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Yuliya Kostromitina, a student from McKay High School in Salem, Oregon. Yuliya, the daughter of immigrants from Russia, was selected as a delegate to the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships 2004 Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. As a result of the leadership demonstrated by Ms. Kostromitina, she was chosen as one of just four students nationwide, and one of forty internationally, to attend the 7th International Partnership Network Conference in London, England. Yuliya's achievement is proof that the GEAR UP program, or Gaining Early Awareness and Preparedness for Undergraduate Programs, in which she participates at McKay High, can help build great students. GEAR UP provides five-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP programs serve an entire group of students beginning in middle school and continuing through high school. Within each school GEAR UP funds are used to provide meaningful academic enrichment activities that result in systemic school improvement and increased student achievement that will prepare students to go to college. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students. With its emphasis on school improvement, GEAR UP dovetails well with the high standards set by No Child Left Behind and gives schools the resources needed to meet NCLB standards. This outstanding program helps at-risk students succeed in school and prepares them to attend college, an option many of them had previously considered out of reach. GEAR UP helps students from low-income backgrounds realize that they too can succeed in college and shows them the path to a better future. As Congress considers reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, I hope my colleagues will recognize the value of the GEAR UP program and continue to provide resources that will help students like Yuliya reach their potential.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Roberto Franco, who is stepping down as director of the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation, FHDC, after years of effective service to Oregon's farmworker community. FHDC is a non-profit community-based organization that was founded in 1990 to help serve farm workers in Oregon's Mid-Willamette Valley by developing affordable housing for workers and their families. Despite many hurdles, under Mr. Franco's leadership at FHDC has been very successful in achieving its mission and now provides housing for over 100 families. The group's major complex, Nuevo Amenecer or ``New Dawn,'' gives 93 families who otherwise might not have acceptable living quarters an opportunity to live in clean, decent, and dignified housing. But FHDC has done more than put a roof over the head of those it serves. Mr. Franco led a successful effort to create the Cipriano Ferrel Education Center, a multipurpose community facility that serves the needs of Nuevo Amenecer residents and others in the community. With the opening of the center last year, FHDC has begun offering opportunities for self-enhancement to those who wish to get ahead. Earlier this year I visited Cipriano Ferrel to address a group working to improve financial literacy and homeownership opportunities for Oregon's Latino community. Cipriano Ferrel includes a Head Start program, child care, and a computer lab that provides opportunities for both young and old alike to learn technology skills that will help them get ahead. In addition, Cipriano Ferrel provides adult educational programs, including literacy and language classes, homeownership education, preparation for becoming a U.S. citizen, and a microenterprise program that helps people start their own businesses. A recently announced grant by Microsoft to upgrade the computer lab will provide software and help fund an instructor, thus offering even more opportunities for Nuevo Amenecer residents and members of the community. I want to thank Roberto Franco and the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation for their work in offering low-income farm workers additional opportunities. Thanks to you, hundreds of families truly have experienced a New Dawn.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize and remember the life of a local hero: Tom Kistler. Although it has been over a year, it is still hard for those affected by this humble, quiet man to believe he's gone. The residents of Polk County, Oregon, know their neighbors--and they look up to the firefighters who serve them. Killed on his way to drill on March 29, 2003, Tom Kistler died in the same way he lived--in the service of others. Captain Kistler was a volunteer firefighter for twenty-five years. He was proud of his time with the Independence (Oregon) Fire Department and Polk County Fire District #1. It was Tom that led the effort in fielding a water rescue/recovery team; it was Tom that brought his peers together to raise funds for the annual Firefighter's Christmas program for the local children; and it was Tom that was always ``there'' keeping his community safe. As if his service in the fire department wasn't enough--and it would have been--Tom was also a thirty-year veteran of the Oregon National Guard. For Tom Kistler, being a citizen meant action. It meant doing things. Citizenship was a verb. This week, brothers and sisters in service will remember his life and his sacrifice during a special ceremony at the National Fire Academy. Today, let us take a moment and reflect upon Tom Kistler and many like him that serve our communities and our Nation, the folks that make the personal sacrifices every day, not because they have to but because they choose to. They are the volunteers that make our Nation strong, the people that make our communities special. America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave--Tom Kistler helped make it so.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege today to honor an outstanding educator from my district who was recently selected as Oregon's State Teacher of the Year by Phi Delta Kappa International. Meg Greiner is a physical education teacher at Independence Elementary School in Independence, Oregon. Ms. Greiner has been a pioneer in innovative physical education programs that get students interested in physical activity by making them fun. Every morning, all students and staff members at Independence Elementary go to the gym to participate in Together Everyone Achieves More Time, or TEAM. Greiner leads a variety of movement exercises and dances that feature team- building activities and music. Through these daily sessions that involve exciting and novel activities, students have learned more than 50 dances and five sign language songs. Greiner's innovative approach during TEAM Time as well as during regular PE classes creates an inviting environment in which students feel safe enough to participate and take risks, which fosters interest in a lifetime of physical activity. But these classes do much more than teaching children about being physically active. In addition to learning new physical skills and activities, students learn positive behavior and character traits such as teamwork, responsibility, respect, and problem-solving. Ms. Greiner's excellent work and the support she has received from school officials and the community has shown that physical education can be a vital part of the educational curriculum that helps students in their physical as well as their social, mental, and academic development. Schools across the country could benefit by modeling the approach Independence Elementary has implemented with Ms. Greiner's leadership. As a former teacher, I am excited to see Ms. Greiner receive the recognition she deserves.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, scripture tells us that for everything there is a season; there will be times of planting, times of harvest, times of peace, and even times of war. And yet, my heart is heavy when we bury our children. Staff Sergeant David Weisenberg and Specialist Benjamin Isenberg were killed in an ambush in Taji, Iraq yesterday. These two proud soldiers were patrolling the frontier of hope--ready, willing, and able to stand up for the freedoms of people they never really knew. These two men were Oregon's future. They were brave, idealistic, and passionate men--united in the belief that their individual sacrifice might hasten the day that all people could enjoy the sweet blessings of freedom and liberty. In his Gettysburg Address, Lincoln explained that there was nothing he could say that would matter as much as what the fallen had done-- that his words were spoken on hallowed ground, ground made sacred by the purity of self-sacrifice. Friends, colleagues, fellow Americans-- his truth endures today. Both men were dedicated professionals that came from families accustomed to public service, individual sacrifice. I am blessed by their example; I am proud, touched--forever changed by their humble act of courage. Taji is not Sheridan, it is not Portland--the Iraqi civilians they gave their lifeblood for were not their neighbors, friends, or family. That didn't matter to them. It never does for heroes. The citizens of Taji were people in need, and that was good enough for David and Benjamin. These men did their duty because they believed in the spirit of America; they wore the uniform and accepted the risks because they knew that long journeys result from small steps. David and Benjamin were more than Oregon Patriots--though patriots they were. David and Benjamin were the face of the very essence of what it means to be American. So today, I ask that we recommit ourselves to the ideals of our democracy; that we renew our personal investment in the America that David and Benjamin were willing to fight and ultimately die for. It is to them and those that follow that we owe our time, talent, and treasure. It is to them that we owe a solution that brings honor to their sacrifice. Let us do these things and bring about the kind of society that David and Benjamin wouldn't just be willing to die for, but a community of liberty they would celebrate.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to the life of an Oregon Soldier, beloved patriot, and proud son. Private First Class Ken W. Leisten was recently killed in Taji, Iraq--far away from friends, family, and the Willamette Valley that he loved so much. Ken was the last of the Leisten men--the pride and joy of his grandma and a large extended family that lives from California to the Midwest. Private Leisten made his community stronger because of the choices he made, the way he lived his life. Unlike many of his comrades, Private Leisten was a full-time guardsman. He was permanently assigned to the 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry HQ, but he volunteered to serve in Iraq with the 2nd Battalion--so someone else wouldn't have to. Typical. This decision was the rule instead of the exception for this exceptional young man. The lasting tragedy of his noble sacrifice is that Private Leisten was exactly the kind of American that we need more of, the type of soldier--the kind of citizen--that makes us all better people. Sacrifice--the willful regard for others at his own expense--was Ken Leisten's life philosophy; it is his legacy. In actions large and small, Private Leisten took the time to care. A soldier in a hostile land, Ken Leisten set about making a difference by reaching out. He shared his limited water with Iraqi children in the village where he served to establish and then keep peace. Think about it; safe drinking water in a hot, unforgiving desert. Not many people would share their canteen, but Ken did. He consciously made the effort to share what little he had with those around him--because he knew their need was greater. Part teacher, mentor, cheerleader, and coach--Ken spent his brief life assisting his fellow soldiers learn the art of war while helping them maintain balance: responsibilities as soldiers with their needs as parents, spouses, and workers. One thousand Americans have perished since this administration committed our time, talent, and treasure to the liberation and reconstruction of Iraq. And unfortunately it is all too easy for the incredible life and terrible death of one citizen-soldier to get lost in the numbers. I say this because despite the noise surrounding the war, a silent truth endures: there is no more sacred or loving gift than laying down your life for the protection of another. Private Ken Leisten gave us this gift. Let us commit ourselves to ensuring Ken Leisten's example is our example; that his sacrifice--celebrated, applied--and never, ever forgotten. Private Ken Leisten made a difference in the lives of Iraqi children he knew he would never see again--he laid down his life so that the People of Iraq might have a chance at self governance and peace. We, in this Chamber and beyond these marble walls, are all accountable to the spirit of Ken Leisten. We must redouble our efforts, rekindle the flame of liberty, and renew our America to earn the freedom that Private Leisten gave his life for.