Robin Hayes

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying that on National Teachers Day, we, all of us, at every time rise to honor our teachers for their incredible contributions. Today we especially wanted to honor those teachers, staff, administrators, and all the support personnel at military impacted schools. Mr. Speaker, I must add that you have been one of the champions of the fight for military impacted schools and increasing that amount of aid. Mr. Speaker, the National Education Association agrees with our resolution. May I quote them: ``In addition to providing the highest quality of academic support, schools serving active duty military dependents help provide students a sense of safety and reassurance by creating a normal environment and regular routine. The schools also offer increased counseling services to students and their families to help them cope with the deployment of parents, other relatives and friends. We thank you,'' myself and our cosponsors, ``for your efforts to recognize the invaluable contributions of the thousands of teachers, administrators and staff in military impacted schools.'' Mr. Speaker, I am immensely proud of the overwhelming bipartisan support for our military impacted schools. Eighty-seven Members on both sides of the aisle have cosponsored this resolution, and I have a letter of support from the NEA, clearly demonstrating this body's commitment to our military children and those that serve them. I certainly urge our colleagues to pass this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Schrock), a captain who serves eight bases and over 400 commands in Hampton Roads, Virginia, a great military veteran and a tremendous champion of education and our military children.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I must express my disappointment in the loss of focus here today. The purpose of H. Res. 598 is to honor teachers, staff, and administrators. We are not here to criticize the administration, particularly when the facts do not add up, and I will speak to that later. It is rather ironic that the former administration cut Impact Aid 8 years in a row, but we will speak about that in a minute. Mr. Speaker, at this point, it is with great pleasure that I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), my good friend who represents Camp Lejeune and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I do rise today to proudly support our Nation's teachers, administrators, and staff of military-impacted schools. Just like many of students' parents, teachers at military-impacted schools across the country report for duty each day ready to serve, but with an added mission: to keep each school day as normal as possible for students who often have much more on their minds than learning. Every day, approximately 750,000 school-age children of members of the active duty Armed Forces are at school, tasked with concentrating on their studies and faced with the reality that their mom or dad may be serving in a danger zone. Mr. Speaker, 650,000 of these students are served by talented and caring teachers in our Nation's public schools near our military bases, while an additional 100,500 military children are served in Department of Defense education activity schools stateside and overseas. In the 8th District of North Carolina, the school systems surrounding Fort Bragg meet together regularly to discuss the common issues affecting military children. Officials from the Department of Defense schools at Fort Bragg work alongside public schools to facilitate smooth transitions and to ensure that teachers and staff are trained and sensitive to the military needs and culture. Dr. Bill Harrison, superintendent of the Cumberland County schools, and also superintendent Joel Hansen of the DOD school on post, are working together constantly to meet the needs of these children. Mr. Speaker, the teachers in my district do an outstanding job of serving these students and their families. They not only provide a quality education for all students, but they take the extra time and energy needed to serve our military children. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, again, we have lost focus. This is about honoring our teachers our administrators and our staff. I again would remind my colleague that that is what this is about. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) who is an outstanding Member and hard worker for our military and for their children and dependents.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me point out again our appreciation for the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) who has a military-impacted school association in your district and you have been a tremendous help. I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) for his kind remarks in support of the resolution. I take a moment to simply digress to say that under No Child Left Behind, there has been a 42.5 percent increase in funding for education over the past 4 years. We had the entire State Board of Education from North Carolina here to talk about No Child Left Behind. And ironically, Democrats and Republicans, as they should, came together to pass No Child Left Behind. What came out of this meeting was that it is very clear that people who are concerned with the outcome are working together to make sure that that destination is arrived at by all children and all teachers. And if there are issues to be dealt with, we are willing, able and eager to do that. I also might point out as a result of No Child Left Behind, the Federal Government is currently spending more money on K to 12 than at any other time in history. Discretionary appropriations for the Department of Education rose from $23 billion in 1996 to $55.7 billion, 142 percent increase. Mr. Speaker, we are not here to talk about the administration, past or present. We are here again to thank and honor those teachers and administrators and staff. These are the teachers that plan and attend Military Appreciation Days. They allow students the flexibility to attend send off and welcome home ceremonies. They coordinate letter writing campaigns for our troops and integrate academic studies with the real world current events that impact their students. These teachers celebrate with families when a parent returns from deployment, and they weep with them when a loved one is lost. They recognize that sometimes their students deserve an extra dose of patience, sympathy and encouragement. They identify and meet those special needs. Teachers in military impacted schools challenge students a demanding curriculum and the toughest academic standards, yet they faithfully provide the additional support that they need. Studies show that military children move three times more than non- military. They face unique challenges, including managing school records, making new friends and adjusting to different school system policies and calendars. Most publicly-impacted school districts also rely on impact aid for funding. Impact aid is not only the first education program, but also one of the most efficient programs the Department of Education administers. In public school, districts where the Federal Government is a primary employer-land owner, a vital tax base is lost. Impact aid payments step in to fill the gap. I look forward to working with my colleagues to increase funding. Over the years since we have been here, every year Democrats and Republicans have worked to restore funding. Some folks do not have military installations. They do not understand this need. But we are working and we have improved it every year and that is what bipartisanship is all about. Because of compassionate post assignments such as Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejeune, some military installations are home to substantially high number of special needs children. Schools must adjust to meet these needs and provide an appropriate education for every child. Additionally, schools across the country that may not be near a military installation, but are home to children of National Guard and Reservists are caring for families as troops are deployed, join the remaining parent or caretaker in supporting the academic and emotional needs of students. Military-impacted schools often employ teachers who themselves served in the Armed Forces. Reservists often live near military installations and when called to active duty, school districts must fill these temporary vacancies with another qualified interim teacher. Mr. Speaker, the teachers, administrators and staff of military- impacted schools are some of the finest Americans I know. They serve the ones who serve. They exemplify the same fine American values that our armed services demonstrate each day, commitment, dedication and patriotism. Mr. Speaker, please allow me a moment to recognize several organizations that play vital roles in supporting our military families, specifically, the Military Impacted School Association, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, National Military Family Association, and the Military Child Education Coalition. They work every day to build partnerships that strengthen the educational opportunities for children. I am proud of these organizations and am dedicated to working with them to achieve our common goal. Mr. Speaker, today, May 4, 2004, is National Teacher Day. This week has been designated National Teacher Appreciation Week by the Parent Teacher Association National Branch. Today we all tell our teachers that we appreciate their service to America's children. But specifically today, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the fine men and women in our military-impacted schools for their dedication to our country's children, our Armed Forces and their families. Again, working together we have been able to raise the level of funding, and we will continue in a bipartisan fashion to do that. I thank my colleagues for their support, their co-sponsorship, and their words of encouragement to their fine teachers and their staff. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

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

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman for his incredibly hard work. As I look back over the process and the number of things that he has had to balance, the needs and the desires, most of which are somewhat in sync with each other, in that everyone wants to have the best possible transportation system, the gentleman from Alaska has worked very, very hard to do that. This is a bill that improves infrastructure for America. It is a bill that creates jobs. It is a bill that creates economic development. In my district in North Carolina, we have a distinct shortage of interstate highways. And it is a known fact that 80 percent of all businesses like to be and need to be within 10 miles of an interstate highway. So for that reason alone, I would ask support of all our colleagues on this bill that provides the economic development and attracts capital to areas all over our country and gives us the ability to distribute goods and services, which stimulates that economy, which brings and attracts capital, and which creates jobs. The issue of highway safety, the issue of congestion is addressed very well in this bill. All of us, especially the chairman, wish that this were a larger bill. However, we are suffering through some very tough economic times, fighting and winning the war on terrorism. The chairman has addressed this issue. He has made it very plain, as the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) has as well, that we will quickly revisit this whole subject of the size of the bill and continue to improve our infrastructure for Americans and job creation. So, Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, I would again like to thank both our chairman, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), for balancing the many critical needs, the desires, and the wants of all Americans to move this country forward, to create opportunities, to create jobs, to grow this economy, and to keep us free, financially viable, and in a position to support the military that is doing so great a job, along with our coalition partners, in winning the war on terrorism.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a milestone for SAS Institute, a home-grown North Carolina software company with roots in our State's fine university system. Since 1976, SAS has been a leading employer, both in our state and around the world, as exhibited by its ranking in Fortune magazine's annual ``100 Best Companies to Work For'' list year after year. And SAS' $1.34 billion in revenues make it the world's largest privately held software company and the leading business intelligence software company. Today, SAS announces the release of SAS'9, its most advanced business intelligence software ever. SAS'9 helps businesses and organizations worldwide turn raw data into better, faster and more accurate business decisions. Congratulations to SAS, a great North Carolina company that serves the world.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I do represent Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, the epicenter of the universe. I rise with great pride and admiration to support this resolution because of those troops. The tragic events in Spain last week and in Iraq today remind us that terrorism is an ongoing threat to people around the world. However, today we live in a world that was different just 1 year ago. The Iraqi people were living under a tyrant, a brutal dictator who gassed his own people. The U.S. military victory in Iraq was unprecedented in military history. Our brave men and women in uniform liberated 24 million Iraqi people in just 3 weeks. Because of the actions and sacrifices of our troops, the regime of Saddam Hussein has been deposed and Iraq is on the path to becoming a free and prosperous nation. The U.S. military victory in Iraq was truly unprecedented. On March 19, 2003, offensive operations began with air strikes against Iraqi leadership positions. Operation Iraqi Freedom was executed with a combination of precision, speed, and force that stunned our enemy. Soldiers and Marines, many from my home State of North Carolina, charged to Baghdad across 350 miles of hostile territory in one of the fastest military advances in the history of warfare. I am proud of those soldiers at Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base and other posts around this wonderful country. The Hussein regime fell on April 9. By April 15 after only 27 days of offensive operations, coalition forces were in relative control of all major Iraqi cities. I would like to highlight some of those military victories. Coalition forces carried out hundreds of raids and thousands of patrols seizing caches of enemy weapons and massive amounts of ammunition that can no longer be used against our troops or innocent civilians. As of February, 44 of the 55 most wanted Iraqi leaders are dead or in custody. In addition to bringing down Saddam's regime with great skill, courage and speed, we can also be proud that our military conducted operations with minimal collateral damage to the country's infrastructure. No neighboring countries were hit with Scud missiles, as was the case in the first Gulf War. Mr. Speaker, when I was in Iraq, Command Sergeant Major Gainey gave me the following quote: ``You have never lived until you have almost died. For those of us that have been deployed or fought for it, freedom has a special flavor the protected will never know.'' God bless our troops and protect them. Mr. Speaker, I represent Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base and I rise in strong support of this resolution. The tragic events in Spain last week and in Iraq today remind us that terrorism is an ongoing threat to people around the world. However, today we live in a world that was different just one year ago. The Iraqi people were living under a tyrant, a brutal dictator who gassed his own people. The U.S. military victory in Iraq was unprecedented in military history. Our brave men and women in uniform liberated 24 million Iraqi people in just three weeks. Because of the actions and sacrifices of our troops, the regime of Saddam Hussein has been deposed and Iraq is on the path to becoming a free and prosperous nation. The U.S. military victory in Iraq was truly unprecedented. On March 19, 2003, offensive operations began with air strikes against Iraq leadership positions. Operation Iraqi Freedom was executed with a combination of precision, speed and force that stunned our enemy. Soldiers and Marines, many from my home State of North Carolina, charged to Baghdad across 350 miles of hostile territory in one of the fastest military advances in the history of warfare. I am particularly proud of the soldiers, airmen, special operations forces and others from Ft. Bragg and Pope Air Force base in my district in North Carolina. The Hussein regime fell on April 9, 2003 and by April 15 after only 27 days of offensive operations, coalition forces were in relative control of all major Iraqi cities, including Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk and Tikrit. Iraqi political and military leadership had collapsed. I would like to highlight some of our military victories. Coalition forces carried out hundreds of raids and thousands of patrols, seizing caches of enemy weapons and massive amounts of ammunition that can no longer be used against our troops or innocent civilians. As of February 2004, 44 of the 55 most wanted former Iraqi leaders are dead or in custody, as well as thousands of other Baath Party loyalists and terrorists. In addition to bringing down Saddam's regime with great skill, courage and speed, we can also be proud that our military conducted operations with minimal collateral damage to the country's infrastructure. No neighboring countries were hit with Scud missiles as was the case in the first Gulf War. There were virtually no instances of civilian casualties, nor were there large masses of fleeing refugees. Bridges were captured intact and rail lines protected. Dams were taken whole and villages were not flooded. Oil fields were protected and we denied Saddam's regime the opportunity to ignite widespread oil field fires. Of 250 wells in the key sections of the Rumaila oil field, only nine were detonated, causing just seven fires. Operation Iraqi Freedom will go down in military annals as a truly unprecedented offensive. The Saddam Hussein regime was not a government of benevolence; it was a reign of terror. The U.S. men and women in uniform have deposed of that terror with their remarkable achievements. Mr. Speaker, I have been to Iraq twice: the first time right after major combat operations ceased and we witnessed a country just beginning to consider life in the post Saddam era. The second time I visited was just this past month. Along with Leader Pelosi and Ranking Member Skelton, we saw incredible progress being made. Command Sergeant Major Joe Gainey, one of the outstanding soldiers with whom we met, shared with me his favorite quote. I would like to share it with you: You have never lived . . . Until you have almost died. For those of us that have been deployed or fought for it, Freedom has a special flavor . . . The protected will never know. Our military success is about that freedom. Mr. Speaker, I extend my heartfelt thanks and admiration to our men and women in uniform for their service and success. May God protect and bless them as they secure freedom for Iraq and protect freedom for America.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 339--the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act. This legislation will help to avoid frivolous lawsuits that will serve only to victimize innocent restaurants and make the American consumer pay a price. Frivolous lawsuits are driving up the cost of doing business in this country and it's costing us jobs. The simple fact is that responsibility for obesity here in America rests with the individual choices made by each citizen. And this legislation makes that clear. Recently, an editor in my district made this point very clear. I would like to quote from his column, which ran in the Richmond County Daily Journal, which I believe represents the spirit of this important legislation. McDonald's nor any of its comrades in the fast-food world, doesn't hold a gun to your head and force you to eat Supersize fries. You--and you alone--make that decision; McDonald's is simply following supply-and-demand protocol by offering Supersize fries. The Big M in the Sky didn't make you obese; you did. It is past time in this country for all individuals to take responsibility for the choices and freedoms available to us as Americans and cease passing the buck through frivolous lawsuits that blame others for our poor decisions. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation that will prevent lawsuits based on poor decision-making.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. It is a very good number, and I would appreciate it if my colleague could help us rein him in, since he is the gentleman's neighbor.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), for yielding to me. We have been here a long time tonight, Mr. Speaker, and I cannot believe some of the things that I have heard. My good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) is a liberal, whose views are widely respected. He has been here many years and there is no question about his philosophy. It is admirable that he sticks to his guns. My colleague from Illinois is the son of a pediatrician, a very noble profession, but he failed to mention that he was integrally involved for 8 years in the ``immaculate deception'' known as the former administration that brought America's citizens the largest tax increase in history; the administration that brought this country the Cole, the bombing of Khobar Towers, virtually looking the other way on terrorism, yet he has the nerve to stand before us and the American people tonight and point to, in a mocking way, a way that mocks our courageous men and women in uniform in Iraq for using money that was taken from the Iraqi people, extorted and stolen by Saddam Hussein, our men and women are taking that money and helping them to build a society that not only puts them on their feet, but takes the feet out from under terrorists in Iraq and around the world. No, America does not have to ask permission to defend our citizens, our shores and our country from terrorists. I think it is important that we focus on that tonight as we look at one of the many achievements of this majority party and this administration of George W. Bush. We have cut those taxes, we have put money back in the pockets of Americans so that they grow our economy. We have equipped our men and women in uniform so that they can protect us from terrorists, whether they be from Iraq, Afghanistan, or wherever they might be. And also we have spoken to the needs not only of our senior citizens but health care across the board. My colleague tonight has chosen to bring forth some important facts about Medicare. And what she has said is true, unlike many of the other things we have heard tonight. Let me personalize for a minute, if I can, the things that my friends, my constituents in North Carolina's Eighth District have said about Medicare reform. And also, I might add, that I was not good in calculus, Mr. Speaker. But in basic math I was okay. Two times zero is zero; ten times zero is zero. Forty years of control by the other party yielded no Medicare reform nor prescription drug benefits, but it has yielded an awful lot of empty rhetoric. America's seniors know this body is committed to strengthening and sustaining Medicare. We are closely monitoring its implementation and eagerly anticipating the roll-out of the discount card this spring, making the way for the Part D benefit in 2006. Mr. Speaker, America's seniors faced a challenge over the years. Medicine made advances in ways they never imagined as children, but their health care delivery system, Medicare, was stuck in the 1965 mode. Medicine was modern but Medicare was not. The legislation this body passed closes a huge gap between the Medicare system and the way modern medicine is practiced. My colleagues, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), I am sure, will speak to that. Mr. Speaker, my district stretches from the urban center of Charlotte, North Carolina east of Fayetteville, and includes all the beautiful rural communities in between. In January, I made nine stops across my district to talk with folks about the new Medicare reform plan. Overwhelmingly, my constituents told me that they were grateful that finally this body had acknowledged their need for real prescription drug coverage, not some pie-in-the-sky promise that promised but never produced. Over and over again, they told me how grateful they were that finally the help they needed was on the way. Mr. Speaker, I want to tell you a little more about what the folks are saying at home. Before the passage of this critical legislation, county officials told me that Medicaid was an increasing burden they could not bear much longer. Now county officials tell me with Medicare instead of Medicaid assuming the first payer prescription drug cost of over 235,000 North Carolina beneficiaries who are eligible for both programs, the State will save $882 million over 8 years. Real savings to our counties and our communities. Before the Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Benefit Act, doctors in my district said the reality was they were going to have to stop seeing Medicare patients because the cost was too great and the unfair payment reimbursements were far too low. Now doctors express relief the 4.5 percent cut in 2004 and additional cut in 2005 was blocked. Instead, physicians will receive a 1.5 positive update. Physicians agree it makes sense that Medicare provides screening tests for early detection of diseases and diabetes, and initial wellness exams for seniors, and it goes on and on. Let me hasten to add what people actually have said. Greg Wood, President and CEO of Scotland Health Care System, Scotland County's third largest employer, which, I might add, this is a jobs bill, because proper reimbursements adds jobs, particularly in rural communities for health care. This is what Greg Wood said. ``For two consecutive months, we have been operating in a budgetary deficit. With 40 percent of patients participating in Medicare, the program was a critical factor in influencing the economic success of the health care system in Scotland County. With the new legislation, we will be able to get back several hundred thousand dollars of this revenue as well as offer better, more inclusive health care. We believe this is the most significant legislation in decades, maybe even since Medicaid and Medicare were started.'' FirstHealth Richmond's CEO John Jackson said, ``As the administrator of a small rural hospital, it will certainly help us to be financially viable. The passage of the Medicare prescription drug bill will be a great benefit for seniors in our community.'' Another administrator, Bill Leonard, CEO of Sandhills Regional Medical Center in Hamlet, North Carolina, says ``The new Medicare bill has provisions that will right some of the inequities that have favored urban hospitals over hospitals like Sandhills Regional that serves small towns across the country. We are pleased with the positive impact this legislation will have on Richmond County.'' Roy Hinson, President of Stanley Memorial, says, ``This represents the largest expansion of Medicare since it began in 1967 and includes the largest package ever for hospitals in rural areas and small cities.'' Finally, Larry Hinsdale, CEO of Northeast Medical Center in my hometown of Concord says, ``It is not often legislation can be passed that has such a positive impact for both providers of health care and for its recipients. This bill achieves both an improvement in access to high quality hospital care and access for seniors to a greatly needed prescription drug benefit.'' Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, our hospitals and our seniors are grateful for the efforts that have been accomplished here in this Congress, and I appreciate the opportunity to highlight some of the benefits and what people are saying about the efforts of this majority party and this President. Again, I thank my colleague again and yield back to her so that we might hear more helpful and enlightening information.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her facts, and if I might ask the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) to respond to a question.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the gentleman's colleague from Illinois. Is that not the same gentleman who supported in last year's appropriations bill amendments that would have added some $16 trillion to the deficit that now all of a sudden, he and a few others are concerned with? Is that number, in my mind, somewhat correct?

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 1, I was detained due to a delay in my flight. Had I been present, I would have voted ``present.''

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 674, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate and praise an individual who has dedicated herself to improving North Carolina. Judy Stevens is a remarkable person in many ways, and I want to acknowledge her accomplishments and efforts in economic development. Judy grew up in Star, North Carolina, located in Montgomery County. She attended East Montgomery High School and continued her education at Randolph Community College. She is a certified economic developer from the Economic Development Institute, which is administered by the University of Oklahoma. Judy began her work in the economic development field when she accepted a job as administrative assistant for the director of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation in 1992. With her strong knowledge of the county and its people, combined with her knowledge of economic development, she quickly excelled at her job; so fast, that by 1993 she became the director of the EDC. Any good leader knows that success depends upon the efforts of many. Judy created the Committee of 100, a group of business leaders throughout the county who were willing to invest time and money in recruiting new businesses to Montgomery County. Long-term success depends on future leadership. She established the Leadership Montgomery Program for Adults and Youth through the Montgomery County Chamber of Congress, which is currently in its 10th year. Judy Stevens is someone who understands that economic development success requires cooperation across political jurisdictional lines. In her own county, Judy is currently working on a project to develop a regional wastewater system for the towns of Boscpe, Star, and Troy. In the past, this type of cooperation was not common. However, with Judy's determination and leadership, folks are willing to come to the table and work for the good of the entire area. Most recently, Judy has taken on a much larger task by leading the eighth district's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, CEDS, project. CEDS is a program sponsored by the Economic Development Administration, which seeks to develop a regional plan of action to attract investment and to create jobs. The committee is comprised of local economic development, education, and chamber officials. Judy has worked tirelessly with the members of the CEDS committee to develop a final recommendation to present to EDA. I am pleased to tell you that because of her effort and strong leadership, the community has come to consensus on a proposal that will serve as a blueprint for regional economic development for the Eighth District of North Carolina and the rest of the country. I look forward to working with her and the CEDS committee as we put this plan into action. Judy's hard work and talent have been recognized across the State. In 1999, she was named Economic Developer of the Year for North Carolina by the North Carolina Economic Developers Association. This recognition displays the type of commitment and dedication Judy puts into her job and into her community. Mr. Speaker, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate Judy Stevens' tireless dedication and her desire to increase the quality of life for Montgomery County, the eighth district, and North Carolina as a whole. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help create and sustain economic development; and as a citizen of North Carolina, I join many in sincerely thanking her. I would also like to acknowledge Judy's family that has been there backing her in every effort and success. Judy has a loving family. The Stevens family includes her husband, Gerald, along with their two sons, a daughter, and three grandsons. I am sure they are as proud as I am of her many accomplishments and her dedication to her profession.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I want to give my thanks to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the subcommittee chairman, and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) for their help and leadership on this vital legislation; and I rise in strong support of S. 686, the Poison Control Enhancement and Awareness Act, and urge my colleagues to enthusiastically support final passage. As a cosponsor of the House version of H.R. 1819, I am pleased we are considering this critical legislation for approval today. Mr. Speaker, the Poison Control Enhancement and Awareness Act provides essential support to our Nation's poison control centers. A critical component of the legislation would reauthorize a grant program to keep our poison control centers running and prepared for everyday emergencies. This grant program is vital for the Carolinas Poison Center, which serves all of North Carolina. Carolinas Poison Center provides life- saving help to parents whose children have swallowed something dangerous, physicians who have unexplained illnesses, hospital emergency rooms which know what the toxic exposure was to a patient but need instructions on how to treat it, and many others in need of critical information about toxic exposure. Carolinas Poison Center's ability to continue these essential services depends on the continuation of the essential grant program as provided in Senate 686, which funds approximately one-fourth of its budget. The tragic events of September 11 and the anthrax cases of October 2001 have dramatically changed our Nation. During this time, the Carolinas Poison Center, as well as poison centers throughout the country, answered thousands of additional calls from concerned residents. The Carolinas Poison Center was utilized by many citizens as the primary source for accurate medical information about anthrax and other potential bioterrorism diseases but also for the complications resulting from prophylactic antibiotic therapy. Poison control centers throughout the country have become critical sources of local, State and regional bioterrorism response and information in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control. The Carolinas Poison Center recently completed an analysis of the 2000-2002 human exposure and information call volume, as well as reported human exposure clinical effects in order to determine daily volume and effects baselines, and threshold limits for detection of possible biochemical and disease outbreaks. These results were reported to State public health officials, and software capabilities that enabled Carolinas Poison Control Center were funded, in part, by Federal Prison Control Center grant funds. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues on the Committee on Energy and Commerce for their work on this critical legislation, and our leadership for helping to move it forward today. I urge my colleagues to join me in securing passage for this essential legislation.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleagues for this needed legislation which ensures the Federal Government's deep commitment to a highly trained and diverse workforce in rural and underserved areas, and encourages veterinarians to assist the U.S. Department of Agriculture in emergency disease outbreak situations. But we should go even further. In order to best maximize Federal Government resources, both in this program at the Department of Agriculture, as well as loan repayment programs throughout the Federal Government, we should allow competition within other aspects of the student loan program, including consolidation loans. The 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act allowed Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) student loan borrowers who hold loans from more than one underlying lender to select from those lenders when consolidating their loans. This change has enabled many recent college graduates to refinance their loans at a lower fixed-interest rate. However, student loan borrowers who hold loans through a single lender must consolidate loans through their current lender. This rule is known as the ``Single Holder Rule.'' In order to ensure that we instill competition, we will need to make sure that during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which is currently moving through the Education and the Workforce Committee, we repeal the single holder rule. I want to thank Chairman Boehner and Congressman McKeon for their efforts to keep college costs under control during consideration of this important legislation. It will be part of my commitment to Federal agencies, students and families everywhere that they have the benefit of competition from qualified lenders in the program when they consolidate their loans and, thus, allow them to take advantage of historically low fixed interest rates-- just as other borrowers are able to do every day.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for her leadership and appreciate her yielding me time. Let me say that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for 18 years in this Congress supported legislation that would give concurrent receipt to our veterans; 18 years. People in this Chamber need to know that, because there are people here who have been present during that time, and during that time the people who are now saying that Republicans will not support our veterans need to remind themselves that not a one of them joined sponsorship for his bill while that was there. Since I came to Congress, Mr. Speaker, I have been working to strengthen the Berry Amendment to help ensure that the Department of Defense use American manufacturers and products in its procurement programs. This past spring, and this good rule supports these efforts, I became very concerned when there was a blanket waiver issued for commercial aircraft. Among other products, this largely jeopardizes our domestic titanium industry. The number of companies that currently comprise this industrial base has shrunk to three domestic producers of titanium. Maintaining this base is not only vital for our economy, but also our national security. We simply cannot be relying on the Russians and the Chinese, who are developing their own economies, to supply significant amounts of titanium for our Nation's defense. The gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) has been tenacious in working to make sure that our industrial defense base is strengthened, not protected, strengthened, so that our national security is foremost. I would like to yield to the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) for his comments on this issue.

Mr. HAYES. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the chairman very much, and thanks again to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick). This is a great rule. It is for our troops, it is for our Nation, The spirit and intent of what we discussed is there. Vote for this rule.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) very much for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership in putting together a comprehensive effort to respond to the tragedies that have faced us in recent days. And thank goodness for rain. It certainly was not sound management practices that have given our valiant firefighters the breath that they needed, the time to rest, and to hopefully bring these fires under control. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to discuss the healthy forest initiative, which was passed by the House in May with an overwhelming bipartisan majority and was finally passed last week by the other Chamber. It is sad that it takes utter devastation, destroyed homes, and loss of life before legislation can finally be passed that will correct Federal policies that desperately were needed to be changed years ago. But now that we are in the home stretch and the House is eager to move the conference on this legislation, a simple motion to appoint conferees again is being blocked, as was mentioned earlier. The House appointed conferees today. And I want to commend the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Goodlatte) and the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo) for their efforts and leadership in trying to move this bill to conference as quickly and as constructively as possible. This legislation is important in a number of States, particularly my home State of North Carolina. The Healthy Forest Restoration Act not only provides our Federal land managers with greater flexibility to deal with fire dangers in the West but new authority to test innovative detection and suppression techniques for the many pests that threaten the Eastern forests. The Southern pine beetle is the most significant threat to forest health in North Carolina. Normally Southern pine beetles attack and kill stress-weakened trees. When populations reach epidemic proportions, even healthy trees can be attacked and overwhelmed. In North Carolina, the beetles are affecting over 1.5 million acres of pine. Timber valued at more than $12.4 million was destroyed last year alone by the pine beetle. Our hardwood forests are also threatened by invasive pests such as the gypsy moth. Gypsy moth eradication is a high priority because of the damage it can do to trees in residential areas as well as scenic mountain areas. There are almost 17 million acres of private timberland in North Carolina, representing billions of dollars in investments by private landowners and the forest industry. The threats to these forests threaten the economy of my State and the ecological value of these lands. No individual landowner is equipped to deal with the pest outbreaks on the scale that we have seen in recent years. At this time, I would like to ask the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, if he would yield for a question. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding from recent meetings that we have held that the minority leader in the other body has made a provision and added to another bill basically a healthy forest initiative for the State of South Dakota. However, we here are unable to move forward with conferees at this point in order to give the same type of attention, protection, and also commonsense land management practices to our other States. Is this the gentleman's understanding?

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's not only keen perspective on the issue but his accurate knowledge of the history. And I would ask that if he would yield for one more question, I would like to pursue this issue a little further in South Dakota. My question is this: the gentleman mentioned the Black Hills National Forest, which is a true national treasure. And I agree with him wholeheartedly that I am very glad that this wonderful treasure has this degree of protection. I seem to recall, particularly since my daughter-in-law is a native of South Dakota, and a wonderful member of my staff is also a South Dakotan, and I have enjoyed many trips there, but were there not some catastrophic fires there as well not too long ago?

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, again I thank the gentleman for his precise and concise information. As a matter of instruction for this body, the conditions you describe almost duplicate the conditions in a thunderstorm. The fire starts low, as you said; and as the heat builds, it creates a tremendous upswelling of current, which, again, has the same destructive effect as a thunderstorm which results in hail and tornadoes. But as the gentleman very clearly illustrated, those pieces of burning limbs, lumber, whatever the case may be, can spread this fire in an incredibly rapid manner. And my point in all this being that the same reasons that South Dakota saw fit to pass local legislation are the reasons that we have in this fine legislation that we are talking about tonight. In closing, Madam Speaker, I would like to make one more point. I have heard the terms partisan, bipartisan. This is about as bipartisan as anything could possibly be. Both parties are working very hard, way beyond, for the most part, to reach commonsense solutions to tragic, dangerous, destructive, and expensive fires. I would say to my friend, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), that to me an observation is that this is not partisan in any way. And I use as an example, I was in the chair this afternoon, and the discussion was about how we develop more plentiful, less expensive sources of energy to keep our manufacturers, keep our transportation, to create jobs and to grow our economy. And, again, it was a bipartisan effort, Republicans and Democrats joined together in a commonsense manner to reach agreement and to come up with policy and solutions that are good for all America. So what I saw there were Republicans and Democrats hand in hand working together against the extremists who inhabit a very small portion of the population, but have an unusual amount of sway in these discussions. So I would simply submit for this discussion that this is not about disagreements between parties; this is about commonsense men and women of good faith on both sides, Republican and Democrats, who are uniting against a radical extreme, far way-out small segment of the community that is costing lives and costing money. So that is my point, Madam Speaker. This is not a partisan issue. And I think it is important that we take it further and define it as it really is. It is common sense versus nonsense. So, in closing, again, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), Madam Speaker, for the time and attention. The Healthy Forest Restoration Act provides the flexibility and resources necessary to deal with these problems, protects millions of acres, thousands of homes, and citizens. I hope the two Chambers can resolve their differences and send the bill to the President as quickly as possible. Common sense, not nonsense.