Johnny Isakson

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I acknowledge that the Speaker of this House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), is a famous wrestler and wrestling coach of great renown; and I am confident, were he not busy working on the business of the American people, he would be here on this floor to commend not only Cael but also to commend his parents, his coach and his supporters. In a time of desperate need in America for role models for our young people, it is only appropriate that this House acknowledge a young man who has distinguished himself by achieving a record never before accomplished at a time while still maintaining an average to become an Academic All American 2 years in a row. I join my other colleagues who have spoken in commending Cael Sanderson for his achievement and his contribution and his role model life that he leads in the State of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 399. This resolution congratulates Cael Sanderson for finishing his career as the first ever undefeated collegiate wrestler. This resolution provides much deserved recognition to Mr. Sanderson's parents, Steven and Debbie Sanderson as well as his Iowa State University coach, Robert Douglas. Our distinguished Speaker of the House, himself, was once a wrestling coach on the high school level, and I am sure would want to extend his congratulations to this accomplished young man, as well. Mr. Sanderson has completed his college career with a perfect record of 159 wins and no losses and is the first undefeated four-time Division I college-wrestling champion. Mr. Sanderson has quite an outstanding record of achievement, including being a four-time NCAA champion, a four-time NCAA outstanding wrestler, a three-time Hodge award winner and a two-time Academic All American. This young man has a great deal to be proud of and I am happy to join my colleague, Representative Latham, in honoring him and all he has accomplished. I want to thank my colleague from Iowa for introducing this resolution and extend my congratulations to Mr. Sanderson, his family, his coach and Iowa State University. I ask all my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske).

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 399) honoring Cael Sanderson for his perfect collegiate wrestling record, as amended.

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 399.

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from the State of Iowa (Mr. Latham).

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I want to add my expression of sympathy to the family of Patsy Mink and to the citizens of Hawaii and recommend Members read an editorial that I read on the plane today about the contributions of her life, in particular in the field of politics and the law where she broke the glass ceiling for women in an era and a period where that ceiling was very low. She was an outstanding colleague and an outstanding individual, and she shall be missed. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) for his contribution to improving the education of America's most needy and in-need students. With the addition of the CLASS Act and the incentive to attract teachers to our title I schools in rural and urban poor centers, what the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) has done is he has the second one-two punch to what this Congress and this President has done to really focus on where educational needs are the greatest. If we combine the ability to attract teachers through loan forgiveness, to make the commitment to our children who are the most in need, with the investment this Congress made last year in No Child Left Behind in our title I schools, we will find the two greatest contributions, in my opinion, ever by the Congress of the United States in terms of truly meeting the needs we will have in the 21st century to be sure that opportunity is available to every child and that no child is left behind. On a side note, I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy), who is one of the sweetest people in the whole world. Her amendment and the Kind amendment being in this bill recognize and represent what the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) has done, and that is pull together bipartisan ideas to improve the education of America's children, to join them together and bring them to the floor of this Congress, and take them to the President for his signature and enact them into law for our children. I commend the chairman for his leadership, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) for their amendments, and I acknowledge the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), who in this Congress is making a most significant investment in the improvement of the lives of our most needy children.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), chairman of the committee.

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am very pleased to commend this resolution to the House and to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the chairman of the subcommittee, who took the initiative during Hispanic Heritage Month in America to introduce this resolution to commend Hispanic-serving institutions who are providing postsecondary education to the growing number of Hispanic American students. I want to also acknowledge the statements of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez). Many of the Hispanic American children in school today, elementary and high school in America, came to America or were born in America to parents whose jobs were on the low end, many times, of the employment spectrum. And to raise the opportunity for a postsecondary education by having available institutions like these to provide Hispanic American children with a higher education will ensure a richer life for them and for their children to come. Madam Speaker, I commend this resolution to the body. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) for his leadership. He is a tireless worker on behalf of the Hispanic American community.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time, and I thank the chairman for the hearing he called immediately following the revelations about Enron, a meeting that so far everybody that has spoken was in attendance, a meeting that a gentleman spoke at who was an employee of Enron. The real scandal is not a bunch of statistics where somebody tries to divert attention. The scandal is that on that day that committee where everybody that has spoken so far attended heard a man, an employee at Enron, who had $751,000 in his 401(k) in January and had nothing by the time we had that hearing. And at the same hearing the administrator and a trustee of that plan who testified admitted that her plan had gone down by only 10 percent and the difference was she had information and she could diversify. And when that gentleman, an employee of Enron, was asked about the information he received from his executives, he said the only thing they were sent was the value of the increase of Enron stock. We can talk about all the scandals we want to, but the biggest scandal of all would be a failure of this Congress, in a year of trepidation and economic tragedy, to not see to it that the rank and file Americans we represent have a right to good information, the right to hold the administrators accountable, and the right to diversify their accounts. So rather than point to obscure statistics about what may have happened in a State and trying to attribute it to an individual who speaks, let us speak unitedly as we did in bipartisan effort just months ago and let us pass a bill that brings about the kind of reform to put to an end the kind of tragedies that took place at Enron just a short time ago. Do not divert the debate. Help the American worker and the citizens we represent.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and celebrate the 75th birthday of Dr. Henry Hill of Cobb County, Georgia. Henry is my friend and my mentor and, most importantly, he was my first successful campaign manager. But I do not rise for myself, I rise for thousands of parents, thousands of children, thousands of teachers. Henry's life has been dedicated to public education as a principal, as a coach, as a teacher, and as a counselor. Normally on birthdays we give the recipient a gift, but on this birthday, number 75 for Henry, I acknowledge the gift he has given to thousands and thousands of our children. May God Bless Henry Hill.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 472, recognizing the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program and commends the program's contributions toward the development of well-rounded youth. The 4-H program is the youth education branch of the Cooperative Extension Service, a program of the United States Department of Agriculture. Members can range from age 5 to 21 and the 4-H experience enables its members to have fun, meet new people, learn new life- skills, build self-confidence, learn responsibility and set and achieve goals. It is a program that builds the leaders of tomorrow at the local, county, district, state, national and international level. Parents, volunteers, community leaders and staff share their time and talents with 4-H youth, thereby aiding in the development of these young people to reach their fullest potential. The life skill and leadership development is accomplished through hands-on learning and by utilizing the knowledge of the country's land-grant university system. 4-H projects are in-depth, hands-on learning experiences for their members. Training pets, making clothes, repairing computers, growing plants and building rockets are just a few examples of 4-H projects. A wide range of projects is offered in each state. Additionally, 4-H Members across the country are assisting in closing the gap between the technology haves and have-nots. The Access the Future Coalition was created to coordinate the efforts of 4-H youths and adults working in partnership with organizations across the United States to bridge the digital divide. I am very pleased to recognize the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Davis), the author of H. Con. Res. 472.

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 472) recognizing the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program.

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 472.

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman).

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as may be remaining. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlewoman from California for, first of all, her cooperative spirit in supporting the resolution, even though she has a concern over a resolution of her own which has not yet come to the floor. One of the life skills that is taught in 4-H is working together; and her concurrence in supporting this resolution, while expressing her regret that her resolution has not yet come to the floor, is to me commendable, and I commend the gentlewoman. That really is what the 4-H is all about, teaching our young people life skills that are essential in working together and being productive, and I commend the gentlewoman from California. I would make a point, however, as to the gentlewoman's point about this leader from the Hispanic community, that the Hispanic community receives tremendous benefits from the 4-H program. In my State of Georgia, which is an agricultural State, 4-H is an essential program in many parts of rural Georgia and in which many of its participants are Hispanic. I am proud that we are making this recommendation today in House Concurrent Resolution 472, and I believe the reason for the gentlewoman's concurrence in supporting it is because of the tremendous benefit this program brings to children of every ethnicity and all regions and all States. I commend the gentlewoman from Virginia for her introduction of the resolution, and I urge my colleagues to vote for the resolution.

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

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Lucy Hall, founder of the Mary Hall Freedom House in Atlanta. Lucy was recently selected as one of ten people from across the country to receive the nation's most prestigious award for community health leadership from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her award includes a grant of $120,000 to continue her community efforts. Lucy founded the Mary Hall Freedom House in memory of her mother, who she lost to alcoholism at the age of six. Freedom House is a residential recovery program to help addicted mothers break the pattern of substance abuse. The program provides women with intensive chemical dependency treatment and vocational training. She launched the Freedom House in 1996 while working as a housekeeper and volunteering as a counselor in Atlanta. Lucy used $5,000 in seed money from her employer to get the effort started. From this modest beginning, the program has grown to serve 250 women a year, many of whom are referred from the court system and homeless shelters. The program, which started out as six beds in a three-bedroom apartment, now has 70 beds in 26 apartments--and Freedom House now has a staff of over 30 people. Lucy realized early on that many addicted women with small children had no access to residential treatment because most recovery programs did not admit children. So, she made Freedom House the only residential recovery program in Atlanta for women with children. Now, the children take part in prevention lessons to teach them how to avoid becoming substance abusers themselves. She also recently opened the Heavenly Angels' Day Care Center to provide care for children while their mothers attend treatment and training programs. Mr. Speaker, by creating the Mary Hall Freedom House, Lucy Hall has demonstrated tremendous leadership and determination to help the less fortunate in her Atlanta community. I am honored to share a little about her work with my colleagues today and urge them to join me in congratulating her for winning this distinguished award. As her nominator said, ``Lucy took on this challenge with nothing but an idea and a burning desire to help others. Unlike others, she found a way to turn this idea into reality.''

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time. I rise along with many others on this side and really both sides that have encouraged the passage of this resolution and our encouragement to see to it that we make the reauthorization of welfare reform and welfare to work a reality. While I have listened to some of the reasons to somewhat diminish any enthusiasm for this resolution, I thought to myself, facts are stubborn things. We have legitimate differences between bodies of the Congress and between individuals on the potential of war, on certain appropriations, certain legal questions, the Patients' Bill of Rights, and some are legitimate, some are political, some are not. But facts are stubborn things. Nobody disagrees that we have changed lives in America, this Congress did, for 3 million Americans. Nobody disagrees that there are 2 million more Americans out there who we can help. Nobody disagrees with that. Some may disagree with the degree of help, but no one disagrees that what many feared would put people on the streets has changed their lives. It would be sad and tragic for those among us that need the most help from this Congress to suffer because this Congress got in so many differences during meaningful debates where there were issues of differences that it forgot those who have been forgotten the most. We have a bill that improves child care, we have a bill that improves the flexibility on TANF. We have a bill that takes the stated goal of putting those 2 million Americans still on welfare and giving them meaningful training, meaningful child care, transportation and work and independence, and yet the clock is running. So I concur with the chairman and many Members on both sides that we urge those in this Congress to move forward and send welfare-to-work reauthorization to the President's desk for his signature to benefit those 2 million Americans.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I particularly thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts) for introducing this important resolution. Two miles south of my district and in the city of my birth, Atlanta, Georgia, the largest collection of Historically Black Colleges and Universities resides in America, Spellman, Morris Brown, Morehouse College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine, the largest collection of institutions anywhere in the world. They have contributed greatly to the United States of America, not the least of which the most recent president of Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Louis Sullivan and the former Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Bush and the previous administration. But they have also contributed to my life. My doctor, Dr. Roaj Ujjin is a graduate of Morehouse School of Medicine and a friend who has helped me on many occasions, both personally and with my health. These colleges and universities, which rose out of a tremendous need, have grown to be a major component of parity in the education and production of graduates who contribute to our country. I commend this Congress, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens) for the great tribute they are paying to those institutions today. Most importantly, I thank those institutions for the contribution they make to us. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Americans to join in the support of their foundations and efforts for future growth.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of William A. Schwartz and to praise his tireless dedication on behalf of his fellow man. William Schwartz, the CEO of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, died last week; and he died of prostate cancer. Mr. Schwartz is the former president and CEO of Cox Enterprises and was president of Cannell Communications and First Media Television. He was an outstanding citizen of Atlanta, Georgia, and worked tirelessly on behalf of many organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, the Atlanta Ballet, and Temple Sinai, where he was an active member. In 1994, Mr. Schwartz was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and from that day forward he dedicated himself to promoting awareness and increasing research to fight prostate cancer. As the volunteer chairman of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, he lobbied effectively for increased funding for cancer research, and his advocacy benefited men throughout America. Though prostate cancer took the life of William Schwartz, his spirit and tireless efforts will save the lives of many men.

Mr. ISAKSON

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I certainly thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger) for her leadership. I have great respect for the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and I accept the fact that he is confused. We do confusing things sometimes. But facts are stubborn things. Two hundred eighty-six of us voted in favor when TSA left this House of a 2003 deadline. Because at that time, as it came out of our committee, we made the judgment that we thought that was the right date. Now, 139 did not vote for it, but the fact is that was originally the House position. Fact number two. We created TSA and the deadline on the same day when we finally finished the conference report. We created an agency with a deadline before the due diligence had been done to see what we could do. It is only reasonable to assume that once the due diligence is done, and facts are learned, then maybe some adjustments are made. Now, the third fact, and this refers to a statement made by the gentleman from Oregon, I take every vote I take very seriously. It did not miss me, the inference the gentleman made with regard to the responsibilities of this vote. If I thought our vote would cost a single American their life, of course, I would never vote that way, and neither would anybody else in this House. This is about us doing the right thing. This is not about us being irresponsible. This is about the most important thing the U.S. economy could have: Our aviation industry. I visited my airport. I serve on the Subcommittee on Aviation. I have done my due diligence. If TSA needs the opportunity to adjust that timetable to allow the right installation to be done on a timely basis, they should have that authority. Facts are stubborn things. We are all responsible for our votes. We are all responsible for what we do. On November 1 we responsibly thought 2003 was the right date. Due diligence has told us that probably is correct. But we do not just accept it, we say if it cannot be met, then we will use reasonable judgment to give the time for the right installation to be implemented. I think that is fair and I think that is right.