Jack Kingston

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the Speaker, the gentleman from Washington, and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands. I had a lot of interest in this bill because I have spent so many wonderful hours at the Rocky Mountain National Park. My family has been going there off and on for nearly 25 years about once a year, and I can tell you, there is not a greater playground in the United States of America if you like the outdoors, if you like elk, if you like mule deer, if you like family, if you like just to get out and exercise and do the fresh air. I have had the experience of hiking up Longs Peak three times, and those of you out West are very familiar with fourteeners and what a great thrill that is. But for somebody who comes from zero sea level in Savannah, Georgia, to go 14,000 feet in altitude up in the tundra--the tundra starts at around 11,000--it is such a great thrill to go through the Keyhole, to go through the Narrows, to go through the Boulder Field, to get on the summit of Longs Peak and look out for miles and miles. I will tell you, it is just such a great thrill. I have also climbed Flattop Mountain, Chiquita, Otis, Hallett Peak, and Ypsilon Mountain. So many times doing that, I have done it with my family, my cousins, my small children and now my grown children. I have had a couple of them up on Longs with me. My mother, who is now in her eighties, was the one who first got addicted to Rocky Mountain National Park. We had the opportunity many years ago to go to Chasm Lake together, and I remember my mother was probably in her seventies at the time, but that is a great hike. They actually rate hikes in terms of A, B, and C; A being the most difficult and C being a very moderately tough hike. Chasm Lake is one of those. My mother has been all over the Rockies, as has my sister Jean, both in snowshoes, in cross-country skis, and in tennis shoes and hiking boots. I have gone trout fishing there many times with barbless hooks with my childhood friend Ross Fox. It's kind of discouraging for me to have to release trout, but I understand the big picture here. It has been a lot of fun. I have photographed elk and the deer and looked for marmots on the peak. I just can't emphasize enough what a great vision that Enos Mills had, who is the father of the Rocky Mountain National Park, when he promoted this to become a national park. It was his vision. His brother Joe Mills also was a very passionate lover of the Rocky Mountain National Park. I have had the opportunity to meet Enos Mills' daughter who lives right next door to it. They are great advocates. I'm sorry to rant and rave on a personal basis about something, but I want to recommend to anybody in Congress and anybody out there who is listening who doesn't live in Colorado who hasn't been there, it is a wonderful place. Regardless of your age, regardless of your interests, there is something there for you. Madam Speaker, if you guys are interested--and I can tell you are--I would like to invite you to let me come show you my slides. I would be willing to do that. Y'all can come to my office and I'm going to show you my many picture albums, because it is something that is great. Anyway, I'm glad we're doing this, and there are some things I think Congress does well. The National Park System certainly is one of those great things that Congress has done on a bipartisan basis and has a lot of support for it. So I thank the gentleman for letting me go down this personal trail today.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentlewoman. I wanted to rise in support of this resolution, but I also wanted to commend those who are involved in the rescue effort and the international communities, the governments, and the nongovernmental organizations, as well as the private rescue teams who have been on the ground. I also want to give high marks to those people who had already been down in Haiti. One of them is Pastor Freddie Hebron from Savannah, Georgia, whose church has an ongoing missionary down there. Pastor Hebron was actually unaccounted for for about 38 hours, and the community was very concerned about him, but he is okay. He is still down there, although communication with him is a little bit spotty. We also had another group, Pastor Bowman with Islands Church of Christ, who is down there led by Dr. John Rowlett and Dr. Brian Kornblatt, 14 American citizens who were down there and located outside of Port-au-Prince when the earthquake hit. And yet from their area, they started immediately dispensing medicine to the victims of the earthquake, eventually ran out of medicine, and then were stuck in an area isolated from the American Embassy, about 25 miles. They were able to get let out of there on Saturday at somewhat great danger and peril to them because at that point the street situation was beginning to deteriorate, with gangs and mobs that were out there and a lot of chaos. Richard Towns, who is a former marine, was one in their group and was able to get inside the Embassy. Once they got near it, and after a number of other obstacles, this group was able to return home to Savannah, Georgia, on Saturday with lots of prayer. However, sadly, we still have two constituents from my area of Georgia who are unaccounted for; one is Courtney Hayes, who is a college student with Lynn University. She is a native of Douglas, Georgia. And another is a businessman named David Apperson, who is from Adel, Georgia. Both of them were staying in the Hotel Montana. Hotel Montana has suffered many losses. The rescue crew has brought out eight people from Hotel Montana, but there are others who are believed to be still trapped inside there. In a conference call with the families yesterday we were told that the search-and-rescue teams--and some are private, some are international, and some are American; one of them is from Florida, one is from Fairfax County, and one is from Los Angeles--they're doing everything they can with scope cameras and listening devices and dogs and so forth to try to find whatever cavities remain in this rubble and focus on those areas where somebody could be trapped and surviving. The cavity question is actually more important right now than food or water, and so they're focusing on that. A major concern of the families is what happens when the Government of Haiti, which is what we were told yesterday, the Government of Haiti decides that there is no point in further looking for survivors at the Hotel Montana. What we're concerned about as Americans is that we should make that decision, not the Haitian Government. I have written a letter today to the President, along with Congressman Rooney and Congressman Mica, who also have constituents in there, to not call off that search because we believe it is very important that the American Government do everything that it can for the Haitians and the other international citizens, but also do everything we can foremost for Americans who are down there who are unaccounted for. So I would ask that formally of my colleagues--that Hotel Montana we know has some American citizens trapped in there, we do not know their condition, I hope that other Members of Congress will join me in calling for that search to continue. I also would call on the administration to do that, and commend the good work that they are doing all around and realize the challenge ahead of them. But my concern right now is the Hotel Montana. And I would ask for your prayers for Courtney Hayes, a college student, and David Apperson, who is a businessman from Georgia, who are both down there and still unaccounted for. With that, I commend you in support of this resolution.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 150th birthday of Valdosta, Georgia. This impressive milestone allows us to take the time to celebrate the city's progress over the past 150 years. Valdosta was incorporated as a town in 1860, when Troupville, the previous Lowndes County seat, relocated to follow the expanding railroad. The city of Valdosta is home to more than 46,000 people, as well as Moody Air Force Base, where President George W. Bush received his National Guard flight training. Valdosta is commonly referred to as the ``Azalea City,'' as the red, pink, and white plants bloom in abundance throughout the city, especially in the spring. According to tradition, the first train came over the new road to Valdosta on July 4, 1860. Willis Allen was designated as the first manager of the railroad, which was then called Savannah, Florida, & Western and later became part of the Atlantic Coast Line. Valdosta was primarily an agricultural city, and with time it became the largest inland market for Sea Island cotton in the world, until the boll weevil beetle eliminated the crop in 1917. Today, Valdosta's agriculture consists mainly of row crops such as tobacco, cotton and peanuts. Valdosta has been the home of many skilled athletes, which earned the town the 2008 ``Titletown, USA'' award by ESPN. With 14 national titles, 47 conference titles, 99 state titles, and 289 region titles, Valdosta has certainly earned this honor. Valdosta has also thrived in the artistic realm. A number of comedians, actors, and musicians have emerged from Valdosta. The original ``Jingle Bells'' tune was even composed by one of Valdosta's music teachers, James Lord Pierpont. Valdosta's symphony orchestra--composed of local artists, students, and professors at Valdosta State University--attracts guest performers of international reputation. The Arts and Balloon Festival, held in April, serves to celebrate all of these artistic endeavors. Whether you are admiring the beauty of Valdosta at the annual Azalea festival in March, watching one of the city's athletes perform on the national stage, or simply encountering friendly faces as you pass through one of Valdosta's many parks and historic districts, the city is no doubt a captivating one. From its birth in 1860 until today, the year of its Sesquicentennial Celebration, Valdosta has remained one of the nation's greatest and most productive cities. It is one of the many cities that keep Georgia on the mind, and I am proud to celebrate its history with you today.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I want to say, in January, the President rushed through a massive stimulus bill of $787 billion, which was supposed to be targeted and timely for shovel-ready projects. We had to do this to keep unemployment from going to 8 percent. Well, now it's at 10 percent. Rather than going back into the stimulus program and doing major surgery, we are adding yet another spending bill from a different account. To begin with, the stimulus bill only had about 27 percent in public works-type projects. Most of it went to plus-up pet political projects of Congress and to create 31 brand new Federal Government programs. Even then, 12 percent of the money is all that has left town. Most of it is still in Washington, D.C. To give you some examples, there is a Smart Grid program of $4.5 billion. None of the funds have been spent. There is a $2.2 billion alternative fuel program. None of those funds have been spent. There is a $4 billion energy innovative technology loan program. Only $2 million has been spent. There is an $8 billion high-speed rail project of which zero funds have been spent. There is $1 billion for the COPS grants program, and no funds from it have left Washington, D.C. Before we go spending additional money, wouldn't it make sense to try to figure out what the logjam is? You can go to the Web site of the stimulus program, and you can see the jobs that were created in the 99th District of the Virgin Islands or in the 42nd District of Connecticut. The only problem is there are no such districts. They are fictitious numbers. You could go to Augusta, Georgia, and look at the housing projects where 317 jobs were created. Only it really wasn't for creating jobs. It was a bonus for existing employees. Again, from the administration's Web site, $937 million was spent on 10,000 projects from which no jobs were created. The stimulus program is not working. We need to revamp it. Another reason we don't have jobs under this administration is because of the cap-and-trade policy.

Mr. KINGSTON. The cap-and-trade proposal is a scheme based on some phony numbers, not all of the numbers. Incidentally, I don't recommend Al Gore's book to anybody, but if you have time for reading today, keep that one in mind. It's going to run jobs overseas. We need to take a look at it. Particularly, it needs to be based on real numbers, not on phony numbers. The health care policy is an 8 percent tax on small businesses with a myriad of new rules and regulations with the possibility of lawsuits. There is the banking bill, which is just going to crunch credit all over America. This is not the right thing to do at the last minute.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the chairman for yielding. I stand in opposition to the rule and in opposition to the bill. One reason is that in 1969, when Congress passed Truth in Lending, it was with great intent. Nobody would argue against the purism of the heart. But the reality is, in 1969 before the bill even went into effect, before the new law became effective on the books, there were 34 official interpretations of what the rule would mean, and 10 years later there were over 13,000 lawsuits about it just trying to figure out what does this thing mean. Now here comes this bill and there are all kinds of terms in there like ``excessive,'' ``unreasonable,'' and ``abusive,'' and they're not defined. Those are going to be defined in a court system by trial and error over a period of time. We need to send this bill back to the committee and ask for definitions on this stuff so that we can, during these uncertain economic times, not put one more ambiguity on the private sector. I think that's the better way to do reform.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I rise to support H. Con. Res. 129. To congratulate the accomplishment of Submarine Sailors completing 1,000 Ohio-class deterrent patrols. The people of coastal Georgia have great pride in their Submarine Sailors. It started back in July 1978 when Kings Bay, Georgia was chosen to be home for the Trident missile submarines of the Atlantic Fleet. In November 1981 the USS Ohio was commissioned and became the first submarine to carry Trident Missiles. Ohio made her first patrol 27 years ago this month in December 1982. Over 20 years ago in January 1989 the USS Tennessee became the first Ohio-class submarine to be stationed in Kings Bay. In Spring 2008 USS Georgia returned to Kings Bay to start a new type of mission as an SSGN. Ohio-class submarines are modern marvels as the sea-based leg of the strategic deterrence triad. SSBNs (or Boomers) have a wide range of capabilities and when directed by the President can rapidly target their missiles. Each Boomer can carry 24 Trident missiles with up to 8 warheads per missile. These missiles have a range of over 7,000 miles and can reach their target within 30 minutes. The warhead is accurate enough to hit the area the size of a baseball diamond with the destructive force of 475 kilotons of TNT. As impressive as these ships are, they are operated by the even more impressive Sailors of the submarine force. Our Sailors have faithfully safeguarded the Boomers without incident for 50 years. Our submarine Sailors have set the gold standard for nuclear surety in the world. These Sailors are screened for physical, mental and psychological fitness to serve on submarines. They spend up to two years in school to know how to work on a submarine including cooking, plumbing, electrical repair, underwater maintenance, operating a nuclear powered propulsion plant and maintaining 100% reliability of the strategic missile system all of the time. Most of the crew is between 20 to 25 years old but some already have college degrees and all are volunteers. Within one year of first stepping onboard a submarine these Sailors earn their ``Dolphins,'' a pin that signifies they are fully knowledgeable of the submarine's many technical systems and fully reliable during any casualty to be able to save the ship and their shipmates. They join the proud history and tradition of the submarine force with World War II submarine heroes like Mush Morton, Dick O'Kane and Admiral Eugene Fluckey. Because of the sacrifice and hard work of these Trident Sailors they have kept the 18 Ohio-class submarines in outstanding condition. These ships will last close to ten years longer than their design life despite operating in the harsh conditions of the oceans. For over 1,000 patrols the Sailors serving on Ohio-class submarines have moved on and off the ship during crew turnover. They bring their sea bag full of gear, photos of family and friends, some snacks, and nowadays their favorite DVDs and I-Tunes. During a two-month patrol they make the boat their home. Maybe once a week they get an email from home called Sailor Mail. They routinely do not actually talk to their wives, kids, family or friends for many weeks. This is a unique sacrifice especially during this age of global telecommunication. During those 1,000 patrols while these Sailors were at sea, the rest of us could go to work everyday, worship on Sunday, take our kids to baseball practice after school, shop at the grocery store and fish in our lakes and streams without fear because these Sailors stood the watch and defended our homes. For this we are thankful every day. I rise today to congratulate our nation's Submarine Sailors who completed 1,000 patrols on Ohio-class submarines on this day December 2, 2009.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in order to recognize Georgia's Middle School Counselor of the Year, Maria Grovner. A native of McIntosh County Georgia, Ms. Grovner is the middle school counselor at Creekland Middle School in Gwinnett County Georgia. Before receiving the honor of being named Middle School Counselor of The Year, Ms. Grovner was recognized as Gwinnett County's Counselor of the Year and as the Region II Middle School Counselor of the Year. As a result of Ms. Grovner's hard work and numerous undertakings, it is no surprise that she has received these accolades. In addition to implementing numerous student activities and promoting diversity and early college awareness at the middle school level, Ms. Grovner coordinates a Peer Leadership Conference for approximately 600 middle school peer leaders. Additionally, the Georgia School Counselors Association is fortunate to have Ms. Grovner serving as the Mentoring Program Co-Chair and as the Middle School Worksetting Vice-President. As Worksetting Vice-President, Ms. Grovner assists other middle school counselors throughout the state in implementing the best practices in their counseling programs. Ms. Grovner's dedication to her profession and the students she serves is admirable and exemplary. Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor Maria Grovner as the State of Georgia's Middle School Counselor of the Year.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, you know, last year without a single vote from anyone in Congress, the Federal Reserve spent $29 billion bailing out Bear Stearns and then $85 billion to bail out AIG, which has now gone to about $140 billion. Now, if that is not bad enough, the House Banking Committee wants to codify that authority. That's right: they want to give the Federal Reserve and the FDIC permanent bailout authority so that anyone who comes around that they call a systemic risk can now get permanent TARP money without having to come back to Congress for our scrutiny. What does this lead to? Well, number one, the Federal Reserve is in charge of monetary policy, not bailouts. It will take the eye off the monetary policy, and if you think the economy is going great now, think what happens when the Federal Reserve is even more distracted. It will also lead to unfair competitive advantage because if you're too big to fail, that means you can do anything you want to and compete against regular banks who won't get the bailout money. So it is an unfair competitive advantage. And, finally, it will increase the moral risk, that is to say, you can make crazy loans because you know good old Uncle Sugar is going to stand behind you and bail you out time and time again after your fiscal irresponsibility. This is a bad bill. This is a bad idea. We need to vote ``no'' on this systemic regulatory expansion bill.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Julian Killen Quattlebaum, Jr. who died today at Candler Hospital in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Quattlebaum was born in Savannah on January 16, 1926, attended Charles Ellis School, Richard Arnold Jr. High School, Savannah High School, and graduated cum laude from the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut. He entered the University of Georgia in September 1943 and was accepted as a member of Phi Eta Sigma freshman honor society and Sigma Chi social fraternity. His formal education was interrupted when Dr. Quattlebaum was drafted into the Army during World War II. He served as an infantryman in the Western Pacific Theater, and as a surgical tech in the medical department after the surrender of Japan, where he was stationed in the Philippines. In 1947, Dr. Quattlebaum returned to the University of Georgia, graduating as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honorary scholastic society in 1948. He was also a member of the Gridiron Society. Dr. Quattlebaum graduated summa cum laude from the Medical College of Georgia in 1951 and was president of the Alpha Omega Alpha honorary scholastic society chapter there. He then pursued six years of surgical training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to general surgery, Dr. Quattlebaum's residency provided valuable experience in a wide variety of fields including plastic, head and neck, and cardiothoracic surgery. Johns Hopkins was known for its pyramid residencies in which a number of physicians began their training but only one or two progressed to the level of chief resident and completed the program. Dr. Quattlebaum became one of those prestigious few during his residency, serving as Chief Resident Surgeon from July 1956 to July 1957. Dr. Quattlebaum next completed a one-year surgical fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota--educating himself always with a vision of bringing the benefits of that gained knowledge home to Savannah. He returned to that city in July 1957 and practiced general, cardiothoracic and laparoscopic surgery here until his retirement in July 2001. While practicing initially in all nine hospitals in Savannah, Dr. Quattlebaum dedicated himself especially to the creation of the surgical training program at Memorial Hospital. As one of the premiere cardiac surgeons at Memorial, he trained at the National Heart Institute and then raised money in order to establish Savannah's first Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory there. He served as Chief of Surgery at Memorial from 1965 to 1967. He served also in that same capacity at Candler Hospital concurrently and for a total of ten years, as well as the State Board of Health on behalf of Governor Carl Sanders. A massive heart attack in 1967 forced a reduction in Dr. Quattlebaum's schedule; however, he continued to host a monthly Journal Club for the surgical house staff at Memorial for many years. Among the countless innovations he oversaw, and which advanced the practice of medicine in Savannah, Dr. Quattlebaum introduced the technique of surgery under hypothermia (to allow surgical interruption of blood flow during surgery), this prior to the availability of cardiopulmonary bypass. In January 1990, he performed Savannah's first laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and he was active in advancing use of the laparoscopic technique in numerous procedures of general surgery. Shortly thereafter, he performed the world's first laparoscopic removal of a common bile duct stone. Dr. Quattlebaum was active also as an administrator: he served on the Board of Trustees of Candler Hospital, was a member of the Candler Foundation Board, and served as the Chairman of Candler's Institutional Review Board for ten years. As well, he was a member of the Georgia Medical Society and the Medical Association of Georgia, serving on its Professional Standards Review Organization Committee's founding committee; and he was a member of the Johns Hopkins Medical and Surgical Society, the First District Medical Society, the Georgia Surgical Society and the Southern Surgical Association. On October 20, 2009, Dr. Quattlebaum received the Physician Legends of St. Joseph's/Candler Health System award for innovations defining new frontiers and greatly enhancing the quality of patient care. In his acceptance speech before the assembled medical staff, he shared highlights from his career, which began during his teenage years when he regularly assisted his father in surgery. Outside of the academic world, Dr. Quattlebaum was active in sports car racing. He was an enthusiast, hobbyist and historian, being Regional Executive (President) of the Savannah Region of the Sports Car Club of America. He held Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national and Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) international competition licenses and raced throughout the area, including at Daytona. He qualified twice for the interdivisional races in California and was an instructor for SCCA driving schools. He was steward for SCCA and FIA races, and he organized and participated with the medical team in several such events. Dr. Quattlebaum was also a charter member of both the Savannah Sports Fishing Club and the German Heritage Society, of which he was a past President. He served as President of the Cotillion Club and was a member of the Savannah Yacht Club and the Oglethorpe Club. He was a member of the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church and the Seekers Sunday School class, as well as a devoted member of the Rotary Club of Savannah South. Before and during his retirement, Dr. Quattlebaum spent time gardening and growing fruits and vegetables, including an abundance of raspberries, on his farm in Springfield, Georgia. He particularly enjoyed harvest time, when he shared his fruits and vegetables and visited with family and friends throughout the community. Dr. Julian K. Quattlebaum, Jr. was predeceased by his parents, Dr. Julian Killen Quattlebaum and Helen Burkhalter Quattlebaum; a sister, Helen Quattlebaum Artley; and a daughter, Christie Elaine Quattlebaum. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Ruth Allen Quattlebaum; by three sons, Julian Killen Quattlebaum III (Kanittha), David Martin Quattlebaum (Adrian) and John Thomas Quattlebaum (Louise); three daughters, Tracey Quattlebaum McMillan (Gregory), Laura Quattlebaum Gower (Austin) and Katherine Quattlebaum Harper (Benjamin); a sister, Barbara Quattlebaum Parr; and eleven grandchildren.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, what we have today is another Pelosi plan for America. But let's remember the Pelosi plan for jobs: an $800 billion stimulus plan that caused unemployment to go from 8.5 percent to over 10 percent. Let's remember the Pelosi plan for automobiles: Cash for Clunkers, a $3 billion program that even the Democrats agreed did not work and was killed after 3 weeks. The Pelosi plan for fiscal discipline: a $1.4 trillion debt this year, the highest in history. And let's don't forget the Pelosi plan for national security: dithering in Afghanistan. Now we have the Pelosi plan for health care: it kills small businesses and jobs. It raises taxes. It raises premiums. It cuts Medicare. It takes away your current health care coverage and spends $1 trillion. Vote ``no'' on the Pelosi plan for a government takeover of health care and join the bipartisan Members of this Congress who plan to promote an alternative which is far better.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, in January, with unemployment at 8.5 percent, Speaker Pelosi passed an $800 billion pork-ladened stimulus bill that was supposed to create jobs. In May, with unemployment up to 9.5 percent, Speaker Pelosi passed an energy tax of $1,500 on every household in America that was supposed to create green jobs. Now in November, unemployment is up to 10.5 percent, we have the highest deficit in the history of the country, a $12 trillion national debt, and Speaker Pelosi wants to spend $1 trillion on a government takeover of insurance. This bill raises premiums. It raises taxes. It cuts Medicare, and it forces you to surrender your current health care coverage and puts a thousand bureaucrats in between you and your doctor. The government couldn't even run Cash for Clunkers, and now it wants to take over 17 percent of the economy. Let's vote ``no'' on the Pelosi plan and support the bipartisan alternative.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, in January, with 8.5 percent unemployment rates, Speaker Pelosi passed an $800 billion pork-laden stimulus bill. In May, unemployment goes to 9.5 percent, and we get an energy tax of $1,500 per household. Now, November, unemployment is over 10 percent and we are about to pass a $1 trillion government takeover of health care. It raises premiums, it raises taxes. It cuts Medicare. Mr. Speaker, America does not need a government takeover of health care; we need jobs. If your kitchen sink is leaking, you fix the sink; you don't take a wrecking ball to the entire kitchen. This bill is a wrecking ball to the entire economy. We need targeted, specific reforms to help people who have fallen through the health care cracks, and we have a lot of bipartisan support for that, and I am part of it. The only bipartisanship we have is against this monstrosity. Vote ``no.'' Let's start all over and do it right.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. When I think of China, I think of this health care plan. Centralized planning, that's what it is. Mr. Speaker, I know you and so many others have been spending their weekends reading this 1,990-page monstrosity, which some people think is going to save health care. I think rather it will save the bureaucracy. This bill, these 1,990 pages, which have yet to be amended with yet another amendment called the manager's amendment. Now, what goes into the manager's amendment are kind of what is the result of having your arm twisted. What did you get for your twisted arm? It will be in the manager's amendment, which is not in these 1,990 pages. But what is? Premium increases, tax increases, Medicare cuts, bureaucrats between you and your doctor, and at a mere cost of $1 trillion. In the year that we have had the highest deficit in the history of the United States, $1.4 trillion, the Pelosi plan comes in weighing at $1 trillion, when we just got our unemployment figures back. Think about this: The President, with an 8.5 percent unemployment rate, pushes upon the Congress a $787 billion stimulus bill, and now unemployment has gone from 8.5 percent to 10.2 percent, and in so many other pockets of America it's 14, 15, and 16 percent. Where are the jobs? Why have we taken the focus off the main thing, the economy? Why are we going down the track of government takeover of health care and massive mandates on individuals, doctors, and small businesses, just like China? Mr. Speaker, 1,990 pages, it's ridiculous. The Republican alternative, which is not even half, not even 25 percent, but I'd say maybe 15 percent in size, weighing in at, say, maybe a mere 150 pages: Cross-line selling to bring more competition for individuals. Association health care plans to let small businesses pull together. Expansion of health savings accounts. Medical malpractice reform to reduce frivolous lawsuits. This is the Republican alternative. The difference in the philosophy is simple. If your kitchen sink is leaking, you fix the sink. You don't take a wrecking ball to the entire kitchen. That's what the Pelosi plan does. The Republican plan focuses on those who have unfortunately fallen through the cracks, people who may be too young for Medicare, too wealthy for Medicaid. Maybe they're 40 years old, unemployed in this Obama economy, and maybe they have a preexisting illness. The Republican targeted reforms try to help that person. They don't try to take the health care away from the rest of the American public who are happy with what they have. We do not need a centralized command/control government in Washington, D.C., that tries to take away the rights of businesses and individuals in the form of a huge government takeover of health care.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I have looked at the revised Democrat health care bill. It raises taxes. It raises premiums. It cuts Medicare. It costs $1 trillion. It puts a myriad of bureaucrats in between the patient and the doctor. Call me thick, but I don't get it. Why are they doing this? We need targeted reforms. Americans have said loudly, I don't want to give up my health care. I want you to help the people who have fallen through the cracks, but let me keep mine because my program is working. And they're not being selfish; they're using common sense. If the kitchen sink is leaking, you don't take a wrecking ball to the entire kitchen. You fix the sink. We need targeted health care that doesn't cut Medicare and doesn't raise taxes and doesn't cause premium increases. The Republican Party has offered many of these, and some of them are signed by Democrats. We can put together a targeted, bipartisan alternative, and we need to do it.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 773 that expresses respect for the United States Submarine Force. I rise to commemorate the service of the USS NARWHAL (SS 167) for her outstanding service. USS NARWHAL served our country for nearly fifteen years. NARWHAL was one of five submarines docked for overhaul at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Gunners from the NARWHAL were in action that resulted in the destruction of two torpedo planes. NARWHAL suffered no damage. Due to the size and unique design of the NARWHAL she was selected to carry out unconventional missions that led to the defeat of Imperial Japan. NARWHAL served in humanitarian and special operations roles in the campaign against Imperial Japan. On May 11th, 1943 NARWHAL and NAUTILUS launched Army Scouts to regain control of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. On July 15th, 1943 NARWHAL shelled the airfield on Matsuwa Island in northern Japan allowing LAPON, PERMIT and PLUNGER to escape from the waters of the Japanese Home Islands. NARWHAL played a vital role in assisting the Filipino resistance to the Imperial Japanese Army. In 1943 NARWHAL transported hundreds of tons of ammunition and stores. On one voyage NARWHAL evacuated eight women, two children and a baby from the Philippines to Darwin, Australia. In 1944 NARWHAL continued to provide vital supplies in support of the liberation of the Philippines. Submarine Sailors such as my childhood mentor, Coburn Kelley, served valiantly on boats like the NARWHAL. Coburn Kelley enlisted on December 23, 1941. He served 22 months on NARWHAL where he was qualified in submarine warfare and served on five war patrols. I rise today to recognize the courage and sacrifice of our nation's Submarine Sailors who protected the liberties and freedoms of the United States during World War II. I am honored to keep alive their memory on this day November 4, 2009.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, the Pelosi health care plan raises premiums, raises taxes, cuts Medicare, and costs over $1 trillion. If you need more reasons to be concerned about it, there are 1,990 pages that will give you all kinds of excuses. The good news is they're about 20 votes short. The bad news is it's time to make a deal in Washington. So, if you're a swing Democrat and if you need a road or a bridge or a new building or a Federal earmark in your district, walk down the hall, see the Speaker, put your vote on the bargaining block, and you, too, can be won over in terms of government-sponsored health care. This is no way to run a republic. There are alternatives--targeted, market-oriented reforms that will not raise taxes and that will not cut Medicare.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, how does Speaker Pelosi plan to pay for her $1.2 trillion government takeover of health care? Simple--higher taxes, higher premiums and cuts in Medicare. What does this mean to mom and dad back home? It means 6 million will be forced off of their Medicare Advantage Program. It means their doctor will now be assigned to them by a government bureaucrat, not by their own choice. In the rural area that I represent, they're facing $83 billion in cuts, so rural nursing homes will close down. And for seniors in Medicare part D, a 20 percent increase in drug costs. This is not a good plan. If the kitchen sink is leaking, you don't take a wrecking ball to the whole kitchen. You fix the sink. We need targeted, market-oriented reforms to make health care more affordable and more accessible for everyone, especially our seniors on a fixed income.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 26 to honor General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish born National hero, as an honorary American citizen. Casimir Pulaski received designations ranging from ``Soldier of Liberty'' to ``The Father of the American Cavalry'' for his honorable service of fighting for freedom on two continents. In the United States, streets, counties, squares, and even an American submarine bare his name. Both the beginning and end of his noble life are cloaked with mystery--competing stories exist about his birth and death; however, his actions of defending freedom in his homeland of Poland as well as America are renowned. Casimir Pulaski was born to a family of Polish nobility either on March 4 or 6, 1745, 1746 or 1747 in Winiary, Warsaw, or Waka on the Pilica, Poland. Pulaski's distant relatives give his birth date as March 4, 1747 in Winiary, Poland; however, scrupulous biographical notes of the Pulaski family history state that Casimir was born on March 4, 1746, but gives no mention of the place. On the other hand, baptismal records show March 4, 1745 as the date of birth, connecting his given name to his birth on the feastday of St. Casimir. The date of Casimir's actual baptism was recorded as March 6, 1745 in Warsaw on Nowy Swiat Street. Then again, the National Park Service records his birth date as March 4, 1747 in Waka on the Pilica, Poland. Regardless of his curious beginning, historians agree that Casimir began his military career at the age of fifteen when young Pulaski joined his father and other members of the Polish nobility in opposing the Russian and Prussian interference in Polish affairs. After being banished to Paris, Pulaski met Benjamin Franklin who urged him to support the colonies in the American Revolution. Pulaski was impressed with the ideals of a new nation struggling to be free and volunteered his services. Franklin wrote to George Washington describing Pulaski as ``an officer renowned throughout Europe for the courage and bravery he displayed in defense of his country's freedom.'' In 1777, Pulaski arrived in Philadelphia where he met General Washington, the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. After coming to the aid of Washington's forces and distinguishing himself as a talented military tactician, Pulaski was sent south to assist American colonial forces. Georgia became the only American colony to be re-conquered by the British on December 29, 1778, and Pulaski was sent to assist Comte Jean Baptiste Hector d'Estaing and Benjamin Lincoln regain control of Savannah from the British who had amassed about 3,000 defenders. The areas surrounding Savannah created a difficult environment for the French and American forces. The left and right sides of Savannah are marshlands which created tough obstacles through which to advance. In the front of the city, a cleared plain of small rolling hills made it impossible for a group of soldiers to advance without being seen from the redoubts that encircled the city. The Siege of Savannah became one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War, and a military failure of colonists with more than 1,000 of the attacking forces killed. In 2005, archaeologists with Coastal Heritage Society discovered the long-lost Spring Hill Redoubt. This unearthed the site of the bloodiest fighting of the siege and scene of the mortal wounding of Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski. While historians can agree that Pulaski commanded the French and American cavalry during the Siege of Savannah and sustained mortal wounds during fighting from grapeshot on October 9, 1779, consensus ends there. Two divergent tales of his death continue today--one from a Georgia family, another from two of Pulaski's officers. The first has injured Pulaski being sent to Charleston aboard the Wasp, but passing on October 15 and taken to Greenwich Plantation, Georgia for burial. In 1854, bones were discovered in an unmarked grave at the former family plantation of William P. Bowen. Bowen said his grandmother and aunt told him the grave was Pulaski's. The bones were then entombed inside the marble cornerstone of the Pulaski Monument in Savannah. Restoration of the monument in 1996 led to another exhumation by Chatham County Coroner James C. Metts Jr. After eight years of attempts, investigators failed to extract a complete DNA sequence to compare with a living Pulaski descendant in Poland. A draft report by Metts' team concluded ``the mystery remains unsolved.'' It also states that ``strong circumstantial evidence does suggest that the remains are Casimir Pulaski.'' However, historical accounts from two officers who served under Pulaski tell a different story. They report that General Pulaski was wounded on October 9, 1776, but that he died two days later on October 11 aboard the Wasp on route to Charleston. The two officers report that Pulaski was then buried at sea near the mouth of the Savannah River where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Even with conflicting details of his birth and death, General Pulaski's military history is commemorated in Savannah by multiple tributes including Fort Pulaski, Pulaski Elementary, Pulaski Square, and Pulaski National Monument. I am privileged to commend General Pulaski and his admirable service to our Nation and support his honorary citizenship.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, if I could ask an inquiry of my friend from Texas. Now, you have not said which cookie is your favorite. You did kind of sidestep it, saying they were all gourmet, but Mr. Foster and I just want to know. I yield the gentlewoman 2 minutes on this very important issue.

Mr. KINGSTON. I yield 20 more seconds to the gentleman only because he's a Thin Mint person.

Mr. KINGSTON. I would ordinarily tell my friend I am a little disappointed. However, inasmuch as you have explained it so eloquently, I will say we'll give the shortbread honorable mention here. And I saw Mr. Gingrey raised his hand as a shortbread guy himself. I yield to the gentlelady.

Mr. KINGSTON. I will be happy to yield to my friend.

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is a great honor to be here with Mr. Foster, and I want to thank Mr. Bachus and Mr. Frank and the members of the Financial Services Committee for their support of this commemorative coin bill. This commemorative coin, like all commemorative coins, will pay for itself. Once it has done that, the additional money that it brings in will benefit the centennial activities of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, as well as helping with some of the repairs of the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace, her childhood home, which is located in Savannah, Georgia. I think I, like so many people, have great memories of Girl Scouts, even though I wasn't one. My sisters, Betty, Barbara, and Jean, were all Girl Scouts, and they all wore their Brownie uniforms and then their Girl Scout uniforms, and my mother was one of the--I want to say den mother, and, Madam Speaker, I don't know the exact title, but she was a consultant--a leader. A great Girl Scout on the front row, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, has corrected me. But they had those sashes. And I was a Y-boy and we didn't get sashes. We didn't get to earn merit badges. But I always thought what a great system of training people. And of course, Girl Scouts got to sell the cookies, of which I not only did not have to sell, but I got to eat. So I got two great benefits from them, and so many other people did the same. Girl Scout cookies actually started in December 1917, and that was when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, started baking cookies, and they sold them in their high school that year. And then it grew in the 1920s and the 1930s, Girl Scouts followed suit all over the country and started to sell them. They sold them for 25 and 35 cents a dozen and in time had 11 varieties. And can I get a favorite? I think everybody would vote on a bipartisan basis, it is the Thin Mint.

Mr. KINGSTON. See, Madam Speaker, only the Girl Scouts could bring such bipartisan fellowship here so quickly in a bill. Juliette Gordon Low was an amazing historical figure. She was actually nicknamed Daisy as a child. Her parents were early settlers, on the dad's side from Georgia, and her mother's family came from Chicago. She was born on Halloween in 1860 and grew up during the Civil War in the difficult Reconstruction period in the Deep South. Her father owned a big house, and she developed a fondness as a child for writing poems, sketching, painting. She acted in plays and became a sculptor and a blacksmith. Her brother, George Arthur Gordon, described her this way: She was deeply religious, quite superstitious, and a confirmed hero worshiper. Underneath her bubbling, irrepressible gaiety, there was a deep, generous, loyal, loving, striving, brave, self-sacrificing personality. She had her full share of slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and she not only met them, as the poet advised, by opposing, but in every crisis of her life she faced fate with a smiling defiance that was simply sublime. And that's from somebody who would know her well. As a child, she started a group called Helping Hands to help make clothes for the poor. She grew up in Savannah but went to a boarding school in Virginia. She made her debut in Savannah and enjoyed the good life. She married a young man which her parents weren't really crazy about because of their age, but they went ahead and got married and I guess, showing her streak of independence, got married on her parents' 29th wedding anniversary date, December 21, 1886, and got married in Christ Episcopal Church, where she was also christened and later would be buried. Juliette Gordon Low had a hearing problem, and when she was leaving the church, at her wedding, on her wedding day, rice was being thrown, and one found itself lodged in her ear. It caused a problem which caused her to lose much of her hearing, and she went through life almost deaf, which later served her, though, because, as a fundraiser, she could pretend to not understand when people said ``no'' when she was asking for money for the Girl Scouts, so she would persevere and get more money from them. But an interesting thing happened to Juliette Gordon Low on the way to a good life. After the Spanish American War, her marriage fell apart, and when it did, she wasn't sure what her sense of direction would be and actually considered being a sculptor. But in 1911, she met Sir Robert Baden-Powell who, as we know, started the Boy Scouts in England, and he told Ms. Low about a sister organization that his own biological sister had started in England called the Girl Guides. He recommended to her that she do the same thing. So, as Mr. Foster has said, when she came back to America on March 12, 1912, she started the Girl Scouts of America, and actually wrote a friend a note and said, come right over; I have something for all the girls of Savannah and all America and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight. And they did start it. And by the time she died, there were 168,000 members of the Girl Scouts from that first 18. The impact that they had has been national and international. Girl Scouts have been all over the map, and their history has followed the history of the United States. They collected clothes during the Depression. They made quilts. They carved wood toys. They gathered food for the poor. They assisted in hospitals. They participated in food drives and canning programs, provided meals to undernourished program, and in World War II, they operated a bicycle courier service and invested more than 48,000 hours in farm aid projects, collected fat and scrap metal, and grew victory gardens. They also collected 1\1/2\ million articles of clothing that were shipped overseas to children and adult victims of the war. Nearly 100 years ago this happened, and yet Juliette Gordon Low's legacy of friendship, education and ideals is today shared by 3.8 million girls and women. We should be very proud to live in a country where such an organization exists, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation. I rise to honor the Girl Scouts of the United States and their founder, Juliette Gordon Low. H.R. 621 would create a Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin in celebration of their 100th Birthday. Proceeds of this coin will benefit Centennial activities and the Birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low. Today, the Girl Scouts are known for their cookies--of course--and their blue, green, or brown scouting uniforms, but most importantly, the Girl Scouts are known for their dedication in growing and nurturing life skills of young women around the globe. Scouts can earn over 300 badges and awards throughout their journey as a Scout for completing tasks which expand areas of knowledge and experience. These badges vary from Computer Smarts, to Money Sense, to First Aid, to Sports and Games, and Heritage. Girl Scouts number nearly 3.8 million--2.8 million girl members and 963,000 adult members. Although cookie sales are the most recognized Girl Scouting Activity, they started on a much smaller scale. Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens of Scouts themselves--with their mothers' assistance. The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to date was by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project in December 1917. In the 1920s and 1930s, Girl Scouts in different parts of the country continued to bake their own simple sugar cookies with their mothers. These cookies were packaged in wax paper bags, sealed with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. This project has now expanded to 11 varieties of cookies, with Thin Mints as the annual favorite. Selling cookies began just five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States in 1912. The Founder, Juliet Gordon, was born in Savannah, Georgia on Halloween 1860. Affectionately called ``Daisy'' (which is now the name of the youngest troop designation) by family and close friends, Juliette's paternal family were early settlers in Georgia and her mother's family played an important role in the founding of Chicago. She was the second of 6 children and grew up during the difficult era of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Daisy spent her early years in Wayne-Gordon House in Savannah, Georgia. In 1818, Savannah Mayor James Moore Wayne, later a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, purchased a double house lot on the northeast corner of Bull and South Broad streets. The house constructed for Wayne at a cost of $6,500, consisted of a two-story, double town house over a raised basement. In 1831, James Moore Wayne sold the house to his niece, Sarah Stites Anderson Gordon, and her husband, William Washington Gordon I, Daisy's parents. Today, this is the location of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and Girl Scout museum. In this house, young Daisy developed a lifetime interest in the arts--wrote poems, sketched, wrote and acted in plays, and later became a skilled painter, sculptor, and blacksmith. She had many pets throughout her life and was particularly fond of exotic birds, Georgia mockingbirds, and dogs. Daisy was also known for her great sense of humor. Her brother, George Arthur Gordon, described her this way, ``She was deeply religious, quite superstitious and a confirmed hero worshiper. Underneath her bubbling, irrepressible gaiety, there was a deep, generous, loyal, loving, striving, brave, self-sacrificing personality. She had her full share of slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and she not only met them as the poet advised, by opposing, but in every crisis of her life she faced fate with a smiling defiance that was simply sublime.'' Her dedication to the community started at a young age. As a teenager, Juliette formed her first organization, the ``Helping Hands'', whose activities included making clothes for the poor. Juliette was a great organizer of people and situations, though not particularly organized herself. Juliette attended school in Savannah, and moved to a boarding school at Virginia Female Institute (now Stuart Hall School) during her teens. She later attended Mlles Charbonniers, a French finishing school in New York City and traveled extensively in the United States and Europe after schooling. After her debut in Savannah, Daisy met the handsome and charming William Mackay Low--nicknamed Billow. Billow's father was an associate of Daisy's father and a prosperous British shipping tycoon with Savannah ties. Although her parents would never approve of a relationship between them, Daisy became convinced if she did not marry him, she would not marry at all. She characteristically continued to conceal her feelings from her family and friends; only revealing her innermost thoughts to her diary. A year later, she became secretly engaged to Billow in January of 1886. When the engagement was revealed, her parents expectedly opposed the relationship as they felt that Billow was too spoiled and irresponsible to care for a wife and family. However, Daisy and Billow were both of age and Billow was bestowed with his father's fortune. On December 21, 1886--on her parents' 29th wedding anniversary--Juliette married Low at Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah, Georgia. She believed that, since her parents' marriage had been an idyllic one, the date would be lucky for her as well. During her wedding exit, a grain of good-luck rice became lodged in Daisy's ear. When trying to remove the rice, the doctor punctured the eardrum and damaged the nerve- endings resulting in a total loss of hearing in that ear at the age of 26. Her other ear had previously lost hearing because of an improperly treated abscess in 1885. Juliette would later use her hearing impediment to her benefit. When asking for donations, she would purposely play deaf to not hear the word ``no.'' Instead, she would respond with the date she would come by to pick up the donation. However, her deafness did have an effect in certain social situations--during dinner function, a speaker rose to acknowledge Juliette. She became upset when the audience was not clapping at every pause, so she began clapping--unaware that the speaker was talking about her own accomplishments. A fellow diner had to stop her, as it is not proper to clap for yourself. Putting difficulty aside, Juliette Low continued the luxurious life of a young Victorian lady during her married years in both England and Savannah. During the Spanish-American War, however, Juliette came back to America to aid in the war effort. She helped her mother organize a recovery hospital for wounded soldiers returning from Cuba. Her father (who had been a captain in the Confederate Army) was commissioned as a general in the U.S. Army and served on the Puerto Rican Peace Commission. At the end of the war, Juliette returned to England to a disintegrating marriage. The Lows were separated at the time of her husband's death in 1905. Daisy considered herself to be a failure. She had no children, a failed marriage, and was left with little money from her husband. She was looking for something useful to do with her life and was considering becoming a professional sculptor when, in 1911, she met Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Sir Robert, a military hero with a keen interest in young people, was also a painter and sculptor, an interest he shared with Daisy. He had begun a successful group in England known as the Boy Scouts. He was shocked to discover that 6,000 girls had joined the Boy Scouts, and urged his sister ``do something'' with the girls--so she began a parallel organization called Girl Guides. Sir Robert told Daisy about the two groups; she wrote in her diary after meeting him, ``He has ideas, which if I followed them, a more useful sphere of work might open before me in the future.'' In 1912, Juliette returned to Savannah and called her cousin, principal of a local girl's school, and told her to ``Come right over! I have something for all the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world and we're going to start it tonight!'' That was the beginning of the Girl Scouts USA. The first Girl Guide meeting in the U.S. was held March 12, 1912. The first two patrols (today known as troops) consisted of 18 girls. They wore the blue uniform of the British Girl Guides and used the same handbook as the British Guides. Juliette, an inveterate fund raiser, would use all sort of baited props to gain donations including a tomato tin with assorted Girl Scouts badges and awards to ``pin'' donors, and a hat decorated with root vegetables. When asked the purpose of her hat, she simply replied that she could not afford to properly decorate her hat as she donated most of her money to the Girl Scouts and then of course asked for an additional donation for the cause. In 1913, the American girls decided they wanted their own identity and the name was changed to Girl Scouts and Juliette published the first handbook, ``How Girls Can Help Their Country; A Handbook for Girl Scouts.'' In her handbook, Daisy encouraged girls to participate in competitive sports and to develop career skills in short to BE PREPARED for life--still a guiding principle today. Juliette was also known for humorous antics such as standing on her head in a board meeting to show off the new Girl Scout shoes--a move usually saved for an ill niece or nephew. During the mid-1920s, Juliette Low developed cancer, characteristically, she kept her illness hidden from family and friends. She served as President from 1915 until 1920 then she stepped down and assumed the role of the ``Founder'' of the Girl Scouts. In the 15 years that she worked with the organization, Girl Scouts grew from 18 members in Savannah to 168,000 members nationally. Juliette Low was honored for her contributions on Georgia Day, February 12, 1926 by the city of Savannah and the state of Georgia in a large celebration held in Forsythe Park. She was able to attend the World Conference of Girl Guide and Girl Scouts in 1926 held at Edith Macy Girl Scout National Center just outside of New York City. Following the conference, she took a trip back to England to say good- bye to her friends. She died at her home on Lafayette Square on January 17, 1927 at the age of 66. Her funeral was held at Christ Church--the same in which she was married and christened--and was attended by hundreds of community members and her beloved Girl Scouts. She is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery in the Gordon Family plot. Throughout America's history, the Girl Scouts have reacted to many differing needs During World War I, girls learned about food production and conservation, sold war bonds, worked in hospitals, and collected peach pits for use in gas mask filters. By 1920, there were nearly 70,000 Girl Scouts nationwide, including the territory of Hawaii and new Girl Scout badges included Economist and Interpreter, and revisions already were being made to the Journalist and Motorist badges. Girl Scouts led community relief efforts during the Great Depression by collecting clothing, making quilts, carving wood toys, gathering food for the poor, assisting in hospitals, participating in food drives and canning programs, and providing meals to undernourished children. During WWII, Girl Scouts operated bicycle courier services, invested more than 48,000 hours in Farm Aide projects, collected fat and scrap metal, and grew Victory Gardens. They also collected 1.5 million articles of clothing that were then shipped overseas to children and adult victims of war. Today, nearly 100 years later, Juliet Gordon Low's legacy of friendship, education, and ideals is shared and perpetuated by over 3.8 million currently registered Girl Scouts and, through USA Girl Scouts Overseas, her influence extends around the world. Every day, the Girl Scouts help mold young women and girls throughout our Nation by empowering them with knowledge and experience. This organization allows girls from all backgrounds to benefit from enriching experiences such as field trips, sporting activities, cultural exchanges, and volunteer work. In its near 100 years, more than 50+ million American women befitted from Girl Scouting in their childhood. In addition to their National and global success, many former members carry the Girl Scouts legacy. One-third of female elected officials and almost 80% of female CEOs were Girl Scouts, in addition to sports stars, astronauts, presidential families, cartoonists, singers, actresses, Olympic medalists, and even a Supreme Court Justice. I am honored to support the Girl Scouts 100 years, their dedicated Founder Juliette Gordon Low, and the crucial principles which they instill in each and every Girl Scout member. I wish them another 100 years of success. Below I have listed some of the more famous Girl Scouts. But most of all I want to give special thanks to Allison Thigpen who helped with the passage of this legislation and without it would not be possible to bring H.R. 621 to the floor. Bellamy, Carol--Executive Director, UNICEF Dole, Elizabeth--Former President, American Red Cross Katen, Karen--Vice President, Pfizer Marram, Ellen--Former President, Tropicana Bush, Laura--Wife of President George Bush, Jr (43rd President) Clinton, Chelsea--Daughter of Bill Clinton (42nd President) Gore, Tipper--Wife of former VP Al Gore Johnson Robb, Lynda,--Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President) Johnson Turpin, Luci,--Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President) Kennedy, Ethel--Wife of Robert Kennedy (Presidential candidate) Nixon Cox, Tricia--Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th President) Nixon Eisenhower, Julie--Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th President) Reagan, Nancy--Wife of Ronald Reagan (40th President) Rodham Clinton, Hillary--Wife of Bill Clinton (42nd President) Albright, Madeleine--former US Secretary of State Napolitano, Janet--D-AZ; Former Governor Collins, Lt Col Eileen--1st Woman Space Shuttle Commander Astronaut 6 American Astronauts Day O'Connor, Sandra--Associate Justice, US Supreme Court Jones, Starr--Co-host, ``The View'', ABC-TV Sweeney, Anne--President, Disney/ABC Cable Network Walters, Barbara--Anchorwoman of ABC ``20/20'' Allison, Jacqueline--Rear Admiral/Navy Edmunds, Jeanette--Colonel, US Army War Reserve Elliot, Carol C.--Brigadier General, USAF Engel, Joan--Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety Fishburne, Lillian--Rear Admiral/Navy Frost, Kathy--The Adjutant General of the Army Johnson, Joyce--Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety Kirkpatrick, Jeanne--Former US Ambassador to the United Nations McGann, Barbara--Rear Admiral/Navy Paige, Kathleen K--RADM, VSN Stierle, Linda--Brigadier General Widnall, Sheila--US Secretary of Air Force--retired Williamson, Myrna, Gen.--Retired Army General Bergen, Candace--Actress Crow, Sheryl--Singer/Songwriter Fisher, Carrie--Actress, Author Lucci, Susan--Actress Merchant, Natalie--Singer, Songwriter Reynolds, Debbie--Actress Stewart, Martha--TV Personality; Martha Stewart Living Moore, Ann--Publisher, ``People'' magazine Dion, Celine--Singer Moore, Mary Tyler--Actress Fanning, Dakota--Actress Ackerman, Valede--Women's National Basketball Bell, Judy--Former President, US Golf Association; amateur golfer Blair, Bonnie--'94 Gold Olympian Speed Skater Fleming, Peggy--'68 figure skating gold Olympian Hamill, Dorothy--'76 figure skating gold Olympian Joyner-Kersee, Jacqueline--'88 Long Jump Gold Olympian MacMillan, Shannon--Women's World Cup Member Marquis, Gail--Olympic Basketball Medalist; basketball commentator McPeak, Holly--Beach Pro Volleyball McTiernan, Kerri-Ann--1st woman coach men's basketball Powell, Renee--1st African American Golf Player on LPGA Redman, Susie--Pro-golfer Rigby-Mason, Cathy--Olympic Gymnast & TV Commentator St. John Deane, Bonnie--Paralympic Snow Skiing Medalist St. James, Lyn--Auto Racing; '92 Indy 500 ``Rookie of the Year'' Williams, Venus--Tennis Champion Dove, Rita--'93 US Poet Laureate Steinem, Gloria--Author Brandon, Barbara--Cartoonist Gist, Carole--1st African American Miss USA Whitestone, Heather--Miss America, '95 Thigpen, Allison--Hill Staffer Extraordinaire Girl Scout Members of Congress Baldwin, Tammy--D-WI; House Biggert, Judy--R-IL; House Bono, Mary--R-CA; House Capps, Lois--D-CA; House Chenoweth, Helen--R-ID; House Christensen, Donna--D-VI; House Clayton, Eva--D-NC; House Collins, Susan--D-ME; Senate Cubin, Barbara--R-WY; House DeGette, Diana--D-CO; House Emerson, JoAnn--R-MO; House Eshoo, Anna G.--D-CA; House Fowler, Tillie--R-FL; House Granger, Kay--R-TX; House Hutchison, Kay Bailey--R-TX; Senate Jackson-Lee, Sheila--D-TX; House Johnson, Eddie Bernice--D-TX; House Kaptur, Marcy--D-OH; House Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks--D-MI; House Landrieu, Mary--D-LA; Senate Lee, Barbara--D-CA; House Lincoln, Blanche--D-AR; Senate Lowey, Nita--D-NY; House McCarthy, Carolyn--D-NY; House McCarthy, Karen--D-MO; House Meek, Carrie P.--D-FL; House Mikulski, Barbara--D-MD; Senate Millender-McDonald, Juanita--D-CA; House Mink, Patsy--D-HI; House Murray, Patty--D-WA; Senate Myrick, Sue--R-NC; House Northup, Anne--R-KY; House Pryce, Deborah--R-OH; House Rodham Clinton, Hillary--D-NY; Senate Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana--R-FL; House Roukema, Marge--R-NJ; House Sanchez, Loretta--D-CA; House Schakowsky, Jan--D-IL; House Slaughter, Louise M.--D-NY; House Stabenow, Deborah--D-MI; House Tauscher, Ellen O.--D-CA; House Thurman, Karen L.--D-FL; House Tubbs Jones, Stephanie--D-OH; House Wilson, Heather--R-NM; House Woolsey, Lynn--D-CA; House I reserve the balance of my time.