Nick Lampson

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make a point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in my continued effort to bring to this House's attention my deepest concern for the American families destroyed by cases of international child abduction. Today, I will share with my colleagues the story of Gabrielle, Elizabeth and Ashley Millares, who were taken by their non-custodial father, Mr. Arle Millares, on December 25, 1996. A felony warrant for child concealment was issued in January of 1997. Mr. Millares and the children are believed to be in the Philippines, his place of birth. He does not have American citizenship, nor has he ever had a Social Security number. Mr. Millares and his children were featured in the December 1997 issue of the Front Line newsletter, a publication of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Mrs. Jennifer Murphy, the custodial mother, has not seen nor heard from her children in over 6 years. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor for these daily one minutes because I care about families and reuniting children with parents. I urge my colleagues to join me in spreading the message and taking a responsible role in bringing our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to commend a team of law enforcement professionals, U.S. attorneys, and Internet service providers who worked together in recent weeks in federally charging a health teacher and trainer in my district of possessing and receiving child pornography. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation found that he was using his home computer to download child pornography from the Internet. Authorities became aware of this man's activities through Operation Innocent Images, a partnership between U.S. Customs and the FBI that is responsible fro tracking pedophiles on the Internet. The FBI has the ability to monitor certain activity over the Internet that they believe deals with child pornography or the sexual exploitation of children. In doing this, they have set up a number of operations around the country to monitor activities in a cooperative effort with local law enforcement agencies and all Internet Service Providers (ISP). ISP's help to monitor Internet activity and furnish investigative leads if they believe that a person is inappropriately using the Internet. I'd also like to commend U.S. Attorney Mike Bradford, who succinctly stated, ``Those offenders who possess and distribute child pornography perpetuate the exploitation of children depicted in the pornographic images. Those who use the Internet to acquire or exchange child pornography commit serious crimes and will be prosecuted when caught. The message we want to convey is an absolute intolerance of child exploitation.''

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate ADVO, Inc. in its recovery of its 100th missing child that has been featured on the ``Have You Seen Me'' direct mail cards. For 15 years, ADVO has been a strong commitment to aiding in the recovery and return of missing children. In partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploitative Children and the United States Postal Service, ADVO launched its America's Looking for Its Missing Children program in 1985. Reaching an estimated 79 million homes each week with pictures of missing children, the familiar ``Have You Seen Me'' cards are constant reminders to the public that hundreds of thousands of children are missing annually in our country. In total, more than 40 billion pictures of missing children have been distributed to date, and Americans have responded in an unprecedented way. We announced on July 31 the joyous reunion of a 5-year-old Pennsylvania girl with her mother, following an 18-month abduction, its 100th recovery of a safe child resulting from the familiar mail cards. One in six children is found as a direct result of programs like ADVO. It takes a few seconds of our time to stop, look, and think about the children that are featured on posters, on the cards, and on television. Each time we see one, we are presented with an opportunity to reunite a family with their missing child. Once again, congratulations to ADVO on its continued commitment to a very worthy cause.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take a moment to congratulate ADVO, Inc., in its recovery of the 100th missing child that has been featured on its Have You Seen Me? direct mail cards. For fifteen years, ADVO has made a strong commitment to aiding in the recovery and return of missing children. In partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the United States Postal Service, ADVO launched the America's Looking for Its Missing Children program in 1985. Reaching an estimated 79 million home each week with pictures of missing children, the familiar Have You Seen Me? cards are constant reminders to the public that hundreds of thousands of children are missing annually in our country. In total, more than 40 billion pictures of missing children have been distributed to date. And Americans have responded in an unprecedented way. ADVO announced on July 31st that the recent joyous reunion of a 5-year-old Pennsylvania girl with her mother, following an 18-month abduction, is the 100th safe recovery of a missing child resulting from the familiar mail cards. One in six children is found as a direct result of programs like ADVO's. It takes just a few seconds of your time to stop, look and think about the children that are featured on posters, on the cards, and on television. Each time you see one, you're presented with an opportunity to reunite a family with their missing child. Once again, congratulations to ADVO on its continued commitment to this very worthy cause.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend not only the ranking member and the chairman for the significant work that has been done to bring this report to us, but all of our colleagues on the conference committee for bringing the first conference report for our NASA authorization bill in 8 years. I know the amount of time and hard work that each put into this bill, as well as the tremendous work of the committee staff, especially on our side, Dick Obermann, and I appreciate every bit of it. I look forward to lending my support to this conference report, but I want to express my continued concerns about Section 127. Section 127 in its current form retains subsection (a), Replacement Structure, which is a general prohibition against NASA's use of funds authorized for the definition, design, procurement or development of an inflatable space structure to replace any International Space Station components scheduled for launch under the June 1999 Assembly Sequence. Subsection (b) has been revised to reflect an exception to permit NASA to lease or otherwise use a commercially provided inflatable habitation module under certain specified conditions. As currently included in the June 29 House draft, Section 128 would effectively prevent NASA from jointly developing an inflatable habitation module with a commercial partner, even if NASA's contribution to such joint development were to be constrained to NASA's planned investment and related costs. NASA is currently evaluating a very serious commercial proposal. Negotiations to date have been based on the principle that NASA would agree to develop an inflatable space structure in conjunction with the commercial participant only if NASA does not assume costs or risk greater than those associated with the baseline non-inflatable habitation module. I will be introducing legislation today that will modify Section 127(b) to include an exception for joint development, and a clarification that the cost restriction would apply to NASA's planned remaining cost for the baseline habitation module. That being said, I again want to commend my colleagues on bringing this conference report to the floor. It funds all of NASA's accounts, Space Station, Space Shuttle, Space Launch Initiative, science programs and academic programs, at or above the President's request. We appreciate that. I encourage a yes vote.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced a concurrent resolution in memory of the 100th anniversary of the devastating hurricane which struck Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900. The residents of Galveston showed great courage and sacrifice during that terrible storm, and I thought it was important for Congress to recognize that that same spirit is still present in the people who live there today; and I wanted to join them as they honor the memories of those who lost their lives on that historic day 100 years ago. In an era without radar, satellites or modern radio, the island of Galveston was quickly overtaken by vast waves, surging flood waters and powerful winds of more than 120 miles per hour. The hurricane that struck Galveston is the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States of America. It is estimated that more than 6,000 people lost their lives in a matter of a few hours. Prior to the storm, Galveston was a thriving port community of 37,000 people and was dubbed the Wall Street of the West. Stories from the survivors of the storm are filled with displays of courage and self-sacrifice in the face of grave danger. One of the most famous is the one about the nuns who ran the orphanage. As the winds and storm tides got higher, it became obvious that the last building would collapse. The nuns tied the children to themselves with clothesline, eight or nine kids to each nun, in a sad, brave effort to try to save them. Three little boys survived the night by camping in a tree. All the rest died. Galveston never lost that resilient spirit and went on to build a 17- foot seawall that staved off other fierce hurricanes. The city also pumped in millions of tons of sand from the Gulf of Mexico in order to raise the level of the city and its buildings to a safer height. This weekend, Galveston will be holding a ceremony commemorating the hurricane, honoring the memories of those who died, launching education efforts, and celebrating the rebirth of Galveston after the storm. My resolution extends those efforts to our Nation's Capital and to all the people of the United States. We should honor those who died in the storm and use the anniversary to continue improving hurricane forecasting and to make life safer and more secure along our coasts. My resolution recognizes the historical significance of the 100th anniversary of the hurricane, it remembers the victims, and it urges the President to issue a proclamation in memory of the thousands of Galvestonians who lost their lives and the survivors who rebuilt the city.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today on my continued effort to bring to the attention of this House my deepest concern for the American families destroyed by cases of international child abduction. Today I will share with my colleagues the story of Ms. Ildiko Gerbatsch and her two daughters, Naomi, 13, and Isabelle, 10. In the summer of 1997, Naomi and Isabelle visited their father in Germany. At the end of the children's visit, their father failed to return them to their mother in the United States. After 3 years of legal disputes costing close to $100,000 in legal fees, the mother now has full custody of both children, but only on paper. Ms. Gerbatsch has only been allowed to visit with Naomi and Isabelle on three occasions. She has been mistreated by the German courts, who have failed to comply with the Hague Treaty. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor for these daily 1-minutes because I care about families and reuniting children and parents. Let us make it our duty to place pressure on countries who are Hague signatories and who choose not to abide by that agreement. I urge my colleagues to join me in spreading the message and taking a responsible role in bringing our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church as it hosts the inaugural session of the American Baptist General Convention of Texas Congress of Christian Workers & State Youth Convention. I want to congratulate Pastor William H. King, III who's leadership touches his congregation and the community in so many ways. I would also like to welcome Pastor Adrian Johnson, president of the convention, along with the young people attending to the city of Dickinson. Today's youth are growing up in a world very different from the one I knew years ago. We live in an age where most families require two incomes to make ends meet, and nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. Our children simply do not have as much supervision or guidance as we did. Add to that, the dangers of drugs and the prevalence of gangs and violence in our schools--as any parent knows, it is not an easy time to raise a family or to be a student. My father died when I was a young boy, leaving my mother to care for me and my brothers and sister. She couldn't have done it alone. In those days, neighbors looked out for each other and watched out for each other's kids. Our family received support from the entire community. In fact, our friends and neighbors considered us an extension of their own families. That's an important reason why my siblings and I were able to achieve our goals and live the American Dream. Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, our schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples need to stand together with our families to set an example for our children. Our kids are the future and we must invest as much time and energy into their well-being as possible. I offer my sincere congratulations to the Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church and all of the conventioneers as they come together next week in spirit and in faith to learn and grow with one another.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, this weekend I brought together international leaders at a luncheon in London to discuss the problem of international parental child abduction. This is an issue that touches families everywhere and an issue, to be solved, needs to be addressed everywhere. The luncheon was very productive, and I hope that it will lead to action by my foreign counterparts. National boundaries are no barrier to the transportation and victimization of children. Today, there is no enforceable global system to attack and address this problem. Despite legal, law enforcement, and diplomatic mechanisms, many cases are not identified. Many children are not recovered. Many children who are located are not returned to their country of origin due to legal and procedural problems. This situation causes anger, outrage, and pain for searching parents around the world. Unless urgent and rapid action is taken, more and more children will be denied their most basic right, that of having access to both parents. The challenge is now to find commitment at both national and international levels to implement these actions. Family disputes and divorce will never go away. Parental child abduction, however, must be eradicated.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, the issue of international child abduction is one of the most important to me, and to the parents of the 10,000 American children who have been abducted to foreign countries. These children have lost years of time with their parents, and their parents have missed watching them grow up. It is outrageous that American children are being held hostage in other countries by unlawful noncustodial parents and unresponsive foreign justice systems. In February of 1998, Aryssa Torabi was abducted by her father to Tehran, Iran. Aryssa's father was able to leave the country with fraudulent custody papers. A Federal warrant was issued for his arrest and the FBI has become involved in the case. In May of this year, Aryssa's mother found her through the work of a private investigator who was able to speak with the family, with the abductor's family, and get some pictures of her. The reports from the family are that Aryssa is extremely unhappy. Children like Aryssa and her mother should not be kept apart, we must continue to do all that we can to take action on this issue. Mr. Speaker, we must bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the issue of international child adduction, and to continue to make my colleagues aware that this issue has ripped 10,000 American children away from their parents. I have been coming here almost every day since February 16 telling a story about an abducted child, and today I am going to be talking about Brianna Nicole Ballout. Brianna was abducted by her noncustodial father, Samar Ali Ballout, during his weekend visitation on July 7, 1996. The abductor and Brianna's mother shared joint custody, but Mrs. Rogers had physical custody. An unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was issued as well as a warrant for his kidnapping. The FBI and the State Department located Brianna in Southern Lebanon, and over 2 years, her mother has had sporadic contact with her, ranging from phone calls to receiving pictures when she was 4 in 1999. Mrs. Rogers has lost contact with Brianna and her abducting father. Mr. Speaker, I urge this House and my colleagues to join me and to do whatever it takes to bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the outstanding career of Mr. Bill G. Masters, who is retiring this year after 35 years of distinguished service with the Port of Beaumont. Stretching over 4 decades, Mr. Masters' entire career has had a wide-ranging impact across a broad spectrum of important local concerns as well as vital national interests. Before contributing his valuable assets to the Port of Beaumont, Mr. Masters served our Nation proudly in the Marine Corps and then achieved a degree in accounting. Soon after, Mr. Masters worked for 6 years in the Golden Triangle on waterfront jobs. Joining the port in 1965, Mr. Masters secured his first job as an assistant dock superintendent. He began to prove himself as a great asset to the port and rapidly ascended the ranks of the port administration. In 1986, Mr. Masters was enthusiastically appointed by his peers to the position of port director. Mr. Masters has led the Port of Beaumont into years of unprecedented growth. This vast expansion includes a steep growth in the amount of cargo handled, doubling the size of both revenue cargo and total cargo handled by the port. In addition, under Mr. Masters' direction, the port has widened its cargo base to include a countless number of new commodities. The port has also grown in space, with the addition of 27 acres since Mr. Masters' appointment. Mr. Masters' ability to achieve his innovative ideas has greatly benefited the Port of Beaumont. Its newly completed rail-to-ship transfer has propelled the Port of Beaumont into one of our Nation's most vital ports. Quickly after becoming the director of the Port of Beaumont, Mr. Masters began garnering national recognition of his achievements. Mr. Masters was elected president of both the Gulf Ports Association and the Texas Ports Association in 1991. Currently, Mr. Masters serves on the American Association of Port Authorities as a member of their National Defense Committee. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bill G. Masters' career is ripe with countless examples of selfless hard work and extraordinary accomplishment in service to our great Nation. His contributions to Southeast Texas are immeasurable. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Bill G. Masters and his family a pleasurable and well-deserved retirement. Congratulations, Mr. Masters, on a job well done.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about Katherine Nevin Caner, who was taken by her noncustodial father, Mr. Muzaffer Caner, on May 15, 1998. At the time of the abduction, Katherine was 12 years old and living with her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Paladini. At the age of 6, Katherine had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor that impairs the parts of the brain that control the involuntary muscles and functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and thought processes. The ailments Katherine is suffering from include brain cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, psychosis, and dementia. Both Katherine and Mr. Caner, the abductor, are believed to be in Turkey, and an Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution was issued on May 20, 1998. Mr. Speaker, Katherine's mother has not had contact with her since her abduction 2 years ago. She has no idea if Katherine is receiving the proper medical care or how she is being treated. This is an issue that affects 10,000 American children and their families. This House should make sure that the most sacred of bonds, that between a parent and a child, is preserved. We must bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, on June 29 and July 6 two articles appeared in the Washington Post about Joseph Cooke and his fight to regain custody of his two children. Both articles, in error, stated that Joseph Cooke, whose children have been held in German foster care for over 8 years, was recently allowed a 2-hour visit. Unfortunately, Joseph did not get to see his children. However, his mother, Patricia, did get to see her grandchildren, but did so at a drastically limited time. For 8 years this family struggled silently, attempting to bring about justice on their own. In February, Joseph joined me at an event where for the first time he spoke publicly about the abduction and wrongful retention of his children. It was a difficult day, but one that led to the outpouring of support and attention from the media and the American public that this issue deserves. The retaliation by the German Youth Authority and the Weh family, and their attempts to control the behavior of wronged American parents, is exactly why we need to continue pressing for action on this issue. We cannot let American parents be bullied into keeping their mouths shut. The German Youth Authority should be ashamed of itself for using access to one's children as a means to avoid bad press.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue delivering my 1- minute stories on the issue of international child adduction. On October 22, 1994, after learning that she was going to lose custody of her children, Mrs. Isabel Felix Leon fled to Mexico with Margaret and William Leon Sandige. At the time of the abduction, Margaret was 6 and William was 1. After the adduction, the children's father, William Sandige, was granted full custody; and warrants for the mother's arrest were issued. In November of 1995, the mother was arrested at a border crossing without the children and was released after revealing their location. Under the Hague treaty, Mr. Sandige was awarded full custody of the children from the Mexican court system; however, the abductor appealed the decision to the Supreme Court and has blocked further progress on the case. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sandige's children are now 11 and 6 years old. They have spent 6 years apart from each other. It is time to end their separation and the separation of thousands of other parents and children who are being forced apart. It is time, Mr. Speaker, to bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about Marcus Farina, one of the 10,000 American children who have been abducted to foreign countries. Marcus was abducted when he was 5\1/2\ years old by his noncustodial father, Sergio Farina. It is believed he was taken to South America. Mr. Farina picked up Marcus on December 6, 1991, for his first court- ordered unsupervised visit and never returned. Marcus's mother, Patricia Rose Diggs, has been working diligently on this case since his abduction. Evidence came to light that Mr. Farina went to Brazil before he went to Uruguay. It is believed Mr. Farina left Marcus in South America and has traveled without him. He still has family who live in Uruguay, and they have all been interviewed by law enforcement to no avail. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has created a poster on the child, and it now includes an age-progressed picture of Mr. Farina. Mr. Farina is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and has many friends and contacts throughout South America. Mr. Speaker, Marcus's mother and others like her need our help. Children deserve and need to grow up with both parents in their lives. I hope that my colleagues will continue to work with me to bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell my colleagues the story of Anthony and Timothy Azarmgin. Anthony and Timothy were abducted from Missouri by their noncustodial father, Mr. Tony Hossein Azarmgin, during their father's visitation period on January 2, 1991. By August of 1991, both warrants for kidnapping and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution were in place. In 1992, Ms. Lewis, the boys' mother, was contacted by Mr. Azarmgin when he insinuated that he and the boys were in another country. In 1994, the Interpol developed reason to believe that Mr. Azarmgin, Anthony, and Timothy were in Tehran, Iran. In 1994, Ms. Lewis established phone contact with Mr. Azarmgin, but it has been irregular at best. Mr. Azarmgin is not willing to return to the United States unless the charges are dropped. Mr. Speaker, there are 10,000 American children just like Anthony and Tim who have been abducted to foreign countries. I urge this House to continue to work with me and help bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, terminating the International Space Station would end what could be the most significant research and development laboratory in history and cause a complete upheaval of the shuttle program for years into the future, effectively terminating NASA's human space flight program. High-cost growth often cited as the reason to terminate the Space Station is simply not the case. The initial congressional budget projection for ISS from 1994 to 2000 was approximately $14.5 billion. During those years, actual expenditures have totalled $15.8 billion, reflecting a growth of less than 10 percent. Termination costs could total over $750 million. And the prime contractor has completed nearly 90 percent of its development work. In addition, Russia and the other international partners remain committed to the ISS and have spent over $5 billion to date. Within 1 year, the ISS will be inhabited by three international crew members. In 5 years, the Space Station will be complete and serving as an outpost for humans to develop, use, and explore the space frontier. We have come so far and soon the ISS research will be under way. The last 2 decades have seen magnificent high-tech growth in this world. Imagine what this facility will do for the children and education in the next 2 decades and beyond. Vote no on this misguided amendment.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue in my efforts to bring to light the problem of international child abduction. Every day possible I have come to the House floor to deliver a 1-minute on the issue and including in that 1-minute the story of an individual child. Today I will tell you about Benjamin Eric Roche. Benjamin was abducted when he was 3 years old by his mother Suzanne Riley and taken to Germany. Ms. Riley had physical custody of Benjamin at that time, but both she and his father, Mr. Ken Roche, shared joint custody. Under the Hague Convention, a German court ordered Benjamin to be returned to the United States in August of 1993. Mr. Roche had not heard from his ex-wife or his son until February 1, 2000, when Ms. Riley initiated contact with him. However, since that contact, Mr. Roche has once again not heard from her or his son. Mr. Speaker, there are 10,000 other children who are in the same shoes as Benjamin. They have been kidnapped across international borders. We must continue to work to make sure that they are returned. We must bring our children home.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise today in support of H.R. 2815, a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the crew of Apollo 11. When a young president named John Kennedy described his vision in 1961 of landing a man on the moon, he encountered many skeptics. Some said it could not be done; others said it would cost too much money. But when I watched Neil Armstrong take his first step on the moon 8 years later, I knew that the naysayers were wrong, and so did my high school students, who huddled around that television set we have heard about on that unforgettable day. I saw the gleam in their eyes that inspired them to become our future engineers and scientists. The Apollo 11 lunar landing is one of the events in American history that stands out as a moment that connects every American who was alive in July of 1969. Six hours after landing on the surface of the moon on July 20, with less than 30 seconds of fuel remaining, Commander Neil Armstrong took the ``one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'' when he stepped off the lunar module onto the surface of the Moon. Minutes later, joined by Buzz Aldrin, the two astronauts spent a total of 21 hours on the lunar surface. After their historic walk on the Moon, they successfully docked their lunar module with the command module, piloted by fellow astronaut Michael Collins, who made the mission possible by providing the crucial communications link between the Moon and the Earth. Public opinion polls, the universal tool of politics today, tell us that the lunar landings are seen by Americans as one of the greatest achievements during that century, on the level of winning World War II. Together, these men propelled America ahead in the space race, united a country torn over the conflict in Vietnam, and inspired future generations to continue the pursuit of space exploration. The time has come to recognize these three extraordinary individuals, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, with the Congressional Gold Medal. And here we are, 31 years after Apollo 11, nearing the completion of the construction of the International Space Station, having seen a remarkable record of NASA accomplishments, the first space plane, the space shuttle, capable of carrying a crew and payload into space to do research, new wing designs for civilian aircraft, a revolution in Earth science as we have begun to recognize the need to understand the changes occurring in the Earth's lands and oceans and atmosphere and new views of the universe. Space exploration has evolved over the past 30 years to more than just romantic notions of collecting Moon rocks and taking pictures of other planets in our solar system, and now is the time to award a Congressional Medal to three individuals who contributed to our Nation's knowledge of space.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in great sadness to honor Judge Joe Fisher, who passed away yesterday, June 19th. Judge Fisher was a remarkable man who was committed to his community, his country, and above all, his family. Judge Fisher received his law degree from the University of Texas in 1936 and was appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower as a U.S. District Judge in 1959. Following his appointment many of his rulings set legal precedents. In 1972, he ruled for the first time that manufacturers of asbestos that didn't warn workers of the potential dangers could be held liable and awarded a family $79,000 in damages. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court and is still the basis for law today. The first desegregation plan for Beaumont was drafted by Judge Fisher in 1970 after the U.S. Justice Department ordered the integration of the South Park school district in Beaumont. Always a man who believed in equality and justice, in 1994 Judge Fisher struck down the Klu Klux Klan's attempt to adopt a highway as part of a state highway cleanup program. He was a man of great courage he wrote in his decision that members only applied ``as subterfuge to intimidate those minority residents * * * and discourage further desegregation.'' After he retired from active duty in 1984, he continued to work full time as a senior judge and continued to hear a substantially full caseload up until two weeks before his death. His impact on the community could be felt outside the court room as well. Judge Fisher contributed to the Salvation Army and the YMCA. He was of the utmost character, and his attributes of selflessness and commitment to others are rare gifts that this nation was lucky to have. Judge Fisher was a man who served his country as a Federal Judge with great pride and devotion. He often thought outside the box to make sure that his decisions were fair and honorable. His work was part of the fiber of Southeast Texas, and with his passing a great loss will be felt in the spirit and the heart of our community. Today, as an American we lost a great jurist, but as a Congressman I have lost a mentor and a friend.

Mr. NICK LAMPSON

Mr. NICK LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the outstanding accomplishment of the young ladies of Keely Jardell's School of Dance in Nederland, Texas. The school consists of approximately 500 students from throughout the area of southeast Texas ranging from ages six to eighteen years of age. The school focuses not only on dancing, but also on the importance of discipline and character. In addition to studying in the Jardell School of Dance, the students also participate in academic, athletic, and religious activities within the community. Practicing 12-15 hours a week, these young ladies have demonstrated an ability to balance their responsibilities and excel in them with grace. Lessons like these give the students of the Keely Jardell School of Dance skills that will be invaluable to them as they encounter challenges in their futures. These young ladies serve as role models to their peers and to members of the community as well. Recently, sixty-nine of these students participated in regional competitions in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, in Houston, and across the state of Texas. Members of the team devoted countless hours to perfecting their craft; their efforts have payed off. At regional competitions, the school was awarded the highest score, judge's choice, choreography, overall high score, and spirit awards. Their outstanding performances at the regional level has qualified them for the National Competition in San Antonio, Texas this summer. The prestige of the school and its talented performers is known well throughout the nation. In late 1999, an invitation was received inviting the girls to perform in Washington D.C. and in New York City during the month of July, 2000. The members of the school have graciously honored the request and will be performing Sunday July 2nd at 5:30 p.m. at the Post Office Pavilion, here in Washington. I urge all who have the opportunity to enjoy a truly amazing show worthy of your time. After the appearance in Washington, the performers will attend special dance classes at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Numerous fund-raisers and community events are being staged to defray the expenses of the trip. It has been a total commitment of all involved, but well worth the work. The members of the Keely Jardell School of Dance have relentlessly committed themselves to perfecting their talents in preparation for the National Competition. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to have the honor of commending the students of the Keely Jardell School of Dance on their astounding achievements and abilities. Young people such as these should serve as examples to America of the extraoridinary breed of leaders it can expect in its future. These young ladies deserve our attention, support, and best wishes as they demonstrate the remarkable product of their labor and talent.