Tom Latham

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the service of Mrs. Ann Sampson, as the devoted Golden Stars Drill Team coach at Eagle Grove High School in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Ann has served as the coach of the drill team she founded for the past 14 years. Her passion for this team has had, and will continue to have, a lasting impact on the many young ladies that were fortunate enough to be led by Ann. During Ann's first year as coach, the team did not have the resources for uniforms during performances, so she found old flag squad outfits at the high school and managed to transform them into the new uniforms for the team. Her exceptional organizational skills and the team's rapid success led to the first Golden Stars Drill Team Night at the end of the team's inaugural school year, which raised enough money for brand new uniforms the next school year. In her third year coaching, and second year competing, Ann led the Golden Stars to their first state title. y Ann's impact on the young ladies wasn't limited to just the dance floor; important life lessons for achievement were instilled. Ann focused the team on forming a family bond, as a recipe for success. The Golden Stars motto is ``you're only as strong as your weakest link.'' This motto speaks of Ann's natural abilities to lead this team through the years. I consider it a great honor to represent Ann Sampson in the United States Congress. I know that my colleagues will join me in thanking her for her service to the youth of Iowa and wish her and her family all the best that the future brings them.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize two heroic individuals from north Iowa for their swift and unselfish actions, which resulted in saving a man's life. On Saturday, September 29, 2007, Eusebio ``Joe'' Garcia of Albert Lea, Minnesota, was driving on a highway in Mason City, Iowa, when he suffered a heart attack and lost control of his vehicle into the median. Missy Thoms of Mason City and Jim Kavars of Clear Lake witnessed the vehicle in the median and quickly came to the scene to assist. Joe did not have a pulse and was not breathing. Missy and Jim conducted CPR until the paramedics arrived. Missy, a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Mason City, advised the paramedics that Joe needed an IV and to be defibrillated. With that helpful information and Missy and Jim's work, the paramedics revived Joe's breathing before they even had him in the ambulance. Missy and Jim are great examples to use when teaching our children and grandchildren about the importance of helping thy neighbor. I know that all of my colleagues join me in commending Missy Thoms and Jim Kavars and honoring them for their swift and unselfish actions which resulted in saving Joe Garcia's life. I am truly honored to represent both of these heroes in the United States Congress.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, up until July of this year, in all the history of America, there are only four individuals who ever received the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, America's highest civilian honor. They are Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, Elie Wiesel, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On July 17, President George W. Bush joined with the bipartisan Congressional leadership in presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to a fifth person, a native of Iowa, born in my congressional district, Dr. Norman E. Borlaug. Dr. Borlaug's name is not as well known as those other four vaunted individuals, but the achievements of this humble and self-effacing man are just as magnificent. It was one of the proudest moments of my service in Congress to be on the dais with the President and Dr. Borlaug and to hear him described as: the Father of the Green Revolution; the man who saved a billion people from starvation: and the man who, ``has saved more lives than any other person who has ever lived.'' If there is one person who is the symbol of our struggle to diminish hunger in the world it is Dr. Borlaug. He is a hero on almost every continent from Mexico, where he first developed his ``Miracle Wheat'' that could triple the yield of the plant; to India and Pakistan where his new approach to agriculture staved off famine and helped those two countries become self-sufficient in wheat; to the Middle East and East Asia where his revolutionary agricultural innovations produced unprecedented surpluses in both wheat and rice; and finally to Africa, where his efforts continue to this day as he heads the Sasakawa Global 2000 effort to uplift food deficit countries there. Dr. Borlaug is in Iowa today attending the first ever Iowa Hunger Summit, which is organized by the World Food Prize Foundation and which is drawing hundreds and hundreds of participants from across Iowa and across America for a day-long focus on countering global food insecurity. I was pleased to learn that members of the Alliance Against Hunger and Bread for the World are traveling to Iowa from many States to take part in this exciting and innovative program. It is highly appropriate that Dr. Borlaug will be surrounded by the bipartisan political leadership of the State of Iowa for the past 40 years in the person of Governor Chet Culver and former governors Bob Ray, Terry Branstad and Tom Vilsack. While we cannot be there to join with them in this important work, we can send messages of support such as this so that all who are attending the Hunger Summit can know that we in the Congress are also present in spirit, indeed a bipartisan spirit, which comes from the admiration Republicans and Democrats share of Dr. Borlaug and the shared concern we have for people who do not have enough to eat.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alyssa Randall of State Center, Iowa, as the recipient of the Golden Apple Award for her commitment and enthusiasm as an educator. Alyssa teaches the Trojan Tots program at West Marshall Elementary School, which includes two separate programs for 3 and 4-year-olds. At an early age, Alyssa acquired a strong interest in utilizing her talent for working with young children. As she was growing up Alyssa's own teachers played a crucial role in this interest. I am certain that Alyssa's passion for the teaching profession is, and will continue to be, a significant influence on a number of her own students as well. The Golden Apple Award is a special recognition given to one exceptional teacher each month during the school year by WHO-TV 13 in Des Moines, Iowa and by Allied Insurance. Alyssa's own students, Ryan and Kody Carver, nominated her for this recognition by writing letters describing why she is their favorite teacher. I consider it a great honor to represent this dedicated teacher Alyssa Randall in the United States Congress. And, I also know that my colleagues in Congress will join me in expressing my gratitude to Alyssa and to all of our Nation's educators for their hard work and dedication to our children and grandchildren.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a distinguished professor of materials science and engineering, a senior metallurgist at Ames Lab, Karl Gschneidner. It was just recently announced that Karl will be awarded the prestigious Acta Materialia Gold Medal in March of 2008 based on his demonstrated ability and leadership in materials research. Karl has been working with rare earth metals including research into their magnetic and electrical properties for over 50 years. Karl's most noble work has been in magnetic refrigeration. Magnetic refrigeration is a cooling method that uses considerably less energy than the majority of common cooling methods used today. The new knowledge Karl is developing will advance existing materials and will lead to new and better materials, which will ensure the success of magnetic refrigeration as a viable energy-saving and environmentally safe technology in the next century. Karl's research is vital in this period of our country. Our Nation's dependence on foreign oil and demands for energy has potential for great strain on our economy, security and supply of natural resources. I commend Karl Gschneidner for his dedication to science and to materials engineering research. And, I know that all of my colleagues in the United States Congress will join me in congratulating him on his gold medal recognition.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an exceptional young man from my Congressional District in Iowa. Lucas Keigley, a 9-year-old fourth-grader from Gilbert, Iowa, was recently honored for his role in solving an arson case in July of this year. According to a story in the Ames Tribune, Lucas had been at Gilbert Elementary School playing when two older boys, ages 14 and 15, lit a piece of cardboard on fire and threw it into a dumpster. The fire caught, and its proximity to both school property and several propane tanks could have made for a dangerous situation. Lucas jumped into action and rightly followed the good advice that his mother Lisa always taught him: find an adult and tell them what he saw. After alerting his mother to what he saw, Lucas worked with the Gilbert Fire Department and the Story County Sheriff's Office to help them find the suspects immediately, sparing law enforcement the time and cost of a lengthy arson investigation. It is heartening to know that Lucas may be considering law enforcement as a career, according to his mother. It may just be his calling considering that his grandfather, Claire Keigley, served his community of Ames as a police officer for more than 28 years. When we see, read and hear news of tragedy, pain and scandal on almost a daily basis it is heartening to hear the story about a fine 9- year-old young man from Iowa named Lucas Keigley who bravely did the right thing. I am honored to represent Lucas and his family in Congress and I know that all of my colleagues here in the United States Congress join me today in congratulating and thanking Lucas for helping make his community a safer place.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the gentleman from California in recognizing the huge town of 160 people of Alexander, Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule because it does cut off and stifle debate on an appropriations bill. This really violates the open rule tradition on appropriation bill debate in the House and runs counter to the way we ought to be deciding to spend the taxpayers' resources. Having said that, I want to commend the gentlelady from Connecticut for her great work, and the ranking member from Georgia really did an outstanding job. There is one particular component of the new rule I would like to make a comment on. The reported bill contains a provision, section 746, stating that ``no funds in this act may be used to authorize qualified health claims for conventional foods.'' This provision means that none of the funds in the bill can be used to give permission to display important health information, irrespective of whether or not the information is scientifically valid. The provision, as reported, would clearly stifle the FDA's ability to put forth information on health benefits in foods. This new rule self-executes a provision which narrows a reported version of section 746 to stipulate that the funding prohibition applies only to the FDA. The problem is that the change doesn't really address the problem. If this provision is intended to help FDA avoid wasted time and resources on frivolous petitions, it misses the mark. Nothing in this revised language removes or alters FDA's responsibility to review these petitions as required by law. The provision only denies final approval or authorization of the use of valid claims as to the risks and benefits of foods sold in the U.S. This means that FDA still must carry out its mission of reviewing petitions on claims, but just cannot issue approvals, even if they are warranted. The problem is that if FDA does not do it, nobody will.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Chairman, I rise to commend the Agriculture Sub- committee Chairwoman, Ms. DeLauro, and the ranking Republican, Mr. Kingston. They have done a commendable job in putting this measure together in this first year in their respective positions. All along the way, Ms. DeLauro reached across the aisle to sound out the concern of the members on this side of the aisle--and the work product shows her bi-partisan efforts. While I do not agree with everything in the bill, I think it is a good product, all things considered. I especially want to thank the Chairwoman for her efforts to increase funding in the bill for the cooperative State research, education and extension service. The CSREES funding level was below the level where it should have been coming out of the subcommittee. After hearing the concerns of many members, Ms. DeLauro and Mr. Kingston closed ranks and fixed the problem. That funding gap was a particular issue to many members, especially those from rural, farming areas. I am pleased to note that the bill contains much in the way of agriculture research funding in a number of areas. This is important to many areas, particularly renewable fuels and food production science, to name two areas. The more we can make substantive progress in both of these areas, the better for the consumer and the farm community. I do want to point out a couple of areas where I think we can and should improve on the bill. First, there is a provision, section 746, which currently reads, ``no funds in this act may be used to authorize qualified health claims for conventional foods''. I understand that there will be an amendment later on that stipulates no funds for FDA will be used for this purpose. However, this amendment does not address the problem. If this provision, or a similar one, is intended to help FDA avoid wasted time and resources on frivolous petitions, it misses the mark. Nothing in the language removes FDA's responsibility to review these petitions, as required by law. The provision only denies final approval, or ``authorization'' of the use of valid claims. This is bad health policy, and it is bad fiscal policy, and I urge the chairwoman to relook at the provision in conference, lest its impact come back to haunt us. On another issue, the horse slaughter language, the provision, as written, is opposed by animal experts across the country--real experts, including veterinarians and others. The way the language is written, it precludes health inspections and certifications for the legal transport of horses, for example. Finally, I think, like some others on both sides of the aisle, that we have short-changed some necessary program areas, on occasion, in the past. But I also think that, as with some other bills, we are going a little far in adding extra spending. Too much spending can do as much damage as too little spending. It is important to remember that when we give agencies too much money, they spend more than they need to spend simply to hold their annual baseline intact. this is not a heal thy way to manage the Nation's resources. We have some discretion here, and we should use that discretion since, apparently, we have turned a blind eye to the serious and growing problem of out-of-control entitlements. In summary, let me, again, commend the gentlewoman from Connecticut. I think you have done a fine job, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to improve this bill as we go forward.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution honoring the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry of the Iowa National Guard. This unit returned last week from a deployment lasting nearly 23 consecutive months in Iraq, which is the longest continuous deployment of any Army National Guard Unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom. This distinction carries on the 1st Battalion's proud historical legacy: Since the Second World War the unit served more consecutive days in the European theatre than any other unit. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 1st Battalion carried out a critical mission in one of the most dangerous areas of Iraq. The unit drove over 4 million miles providing security for convoys supplying thousands of U.S. troops. I want to commend the soldiers of the 1st Battalion for their successful completion of over 500 missions. These soldiers and their families have made tremendous sacrifices to further the U.S. mission in Iraq and for that we owe them a debt of gratitude. Tragically, this sacrifice included more than 25 wounded and the deaths of two members of the unit who made the ultimate sacrifice. SGT 1st Class Scott Nisely and SGT Kampha Sourivong were killed in combat operations on September 30, 2006. Our Nation will forever be grateful to these heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important recognition of one of our Nation's finest National Guard Units.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, today I rise in acknowledgment of the extreme generosity of some of my constituents. I wish to recognize the kindness of Marble Rock Unit 387 of the American Legion Auxiliary, from Marble Rock, Iowa. Recently, Gabrielle Wedeking of Marble Rock was born with a rare disorder of the immune system and required a bone marrow transplant. Marble Rock Unit 287 held a benefit that included a meal, bake sale, raffles, as well as silent and live auctions. Over $44,000 was raised to help fund Gabrielle's transplant. This generous and selfless act deserves honoring, and thus I stand today and recognize Marble Rock Unit 387.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for recognition and for the kind words. I appreciate that very much. The gentlewoman from Texas, thank you for your support. And I want to thank Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith for working together to bring this very important resolution to the floor quickly after it was introduced. I also want to thank Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter for their valuable input on this resolution and important work on this issue. Many servicemembers who are single parents rely upon grandparents or other caretakers to care for their children while they are deployed. If the servicemember is tragically killed in action, these caretakers are left without access to the death gratuity payment to help raise the servicemember's children. I am grateful that the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have addressed this issue, including in the 2008 defense authorization bill provisions allowing servicemembers to begin designating caretakers as recipients of all or part of the death gratuity as we go forward. However, it is important that we also consider those families that have already been affected by the situation, which is the purpose of this resolution today. There have been as many as 143 recent cases where minor children were the recipients of the death gratuity which they cannot access until reaching the age of 18. In some of these cases, such as the one involving the Jaenke family from Iowa Falls, Iowa, in my district, the fallen servicemember left specific written instructions that part of the death gratuity be used to care for her daughter. Naval Petty Officer 2nd Class Jamie Jaenke, who was tragically killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq last summer, was survived by her 9-year-old daughter Kayla, who is being cared for by her grandparents. Kayla's family has experienced countless financial hardships as a result of not having access to the death benefits for the purposes that Jamie intended. While the situation may not affect a large number of families, the bottom line is I believe the wishes of our servicemembers with respect to their death benefits should be honored. Our Nation will be forever grateful for Jamie's dedication and service and the sacrifice she has made for our Nation. It is a fundamental duty of Congress to ensure that the children of fallen servicemembers, like Kayla, are cared for. We owe this to our servicemembers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I urge the Senate to act in a quick manner to resolve this unfortunate situation.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, Mr. Boswell and I would like to submit the following statement from Dr. Norman E. Borlaug for the Congressional Record. Norman E. Borlaug: Statement on the occasion of the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, United States Capitol, July 17, 2007 It is a great honor to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, in recognition of my work to feed a hungry world. I thank members of Congress for giving me an opportunity to comment on the challenges and complexities of feeding a world of 10 billion people who I expect will be living on the planet Earth sometime this century. When I was born--in 1914--there were only 1.6 billion people on Earth. Today, we are 6.5 billion and growing by 80 million per year. The task of feeding this growing population has been made more complex, since agriculture is now being asked not only to produce food, feed and fiber, but also raw materials for bio-fuels. Thus, there is no room for complacency for those of us working on the food front. I am now in my 63rd year of continuous involvement in agricultural research and production in low-income, food- deficit developing countries. I have worked with many scientists, political leaders, and farmers to transform food production systems. Any achievements I have made have been possible through my participation in this army of hunger fighters. There are too many to name, but you know who you are. I thank you for your dedication and assistance all of these years. I also thank my family, and my late wife Margaret, for the understanding and unselfish support you have given me. The Green Revolution was a great historic success. In 1960, perhaps 60 percent of the world's people felt hunger during some portion of the year. By the year 2000, the proportion of hungry in the world had dropped to 14 percent of the total population. Still, this figure translated to 850 million men, women and children who lacked sufficient calories and protein to grow strong and healthy bodies. Thus, despite the successes of the Green Revolution, the battle to ensure food security for hundreds of millions of miserably poor people is far from won. The Green Revolution The breakthroughs in wheat and rice production in Asia in the mid-1960s, which came to be known as the Green Revolution, symbolized the beginning of a process of using agricultural science to develop modem techniques for the Third World. It began in Mexico with the ``quiet'' wheat revolution in the late 1950s. During the 1960s and 1970s, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines received world attention for their agricultural progress. In the 1980s and 1990s, China, home to one fifth of the world's people, has been the greatest success story. China today is the world's biggest food producer and its crop yields are approaching those of the United States with every successive year. However, it is almost certain, that China and India--home to one third of the world's people--will become the largest agricultural importers in the coming decades, as their economies shift from being agrarian to industrial. Critics of modem agricultural technology invariably turn a blind eye on what the world would have been like without the technological advances that have occurred, largely during the past 50 years. For those whose main concern is protecting the ``environment,'' let's look at the positive impact that the application of science-based technology has had on land use. If the global cereal yields of 1950 still prevailed in 2000 we would have needed nearly 1.2 billion ha of additional land of the same quality--instead of the 660 million ha that was used--to achieve the global harvest of that year. Obviously, such a surplus of land was not available, and certainly not in populous Asia, where the population had increased from 1.2 to 3.8 billion over this period. Moreover, if more environmentally fragile land had been brought into agricultural production, the impact on soil erosion, loss of forests and grasslands, biodiversity and extinction of wildlife species would have been enormous and disastrous. At lest in the foreseeable future, plants--and especially the cereals--will continue to supply much of our increased food demand, both for direct human consumption and as livestock feed to satisfy the rapidly growing demand for meat in the newly industrializing countries. It is likely that an additional 1 billion metric tons of grain will be needed annually by 2025, just to feed the world, let alone fuel its vehicles. Most of this increase must come from lands already in production through yield improvements. Fortunately, such productivity improvements in crop management can be made all along the line--in plant breeding, crop management, tillage, water use, fertilization, weed and pest control, and harvesting. Africa's Food Production Challenges More than any other region of the world, African food production is in crisis. High rates of population growth and little application of improved production technology during the last two decades resulted in declining per capita food production, escalating food deficits, deteriorating nutritional levels, especially among the rural poor, and devastating environmental degradation. While there are more signs since 2000 that smallholder food production is beginning to turn around, this recovery is still very fragile. Sub-Saharan Africa's extreme poverty, poor soils, uncertain rainfall, increasing population pressures, changing ownership patterns for land and cattle, political and social turmoil, shortages of trained agriculturalists, and weaknesses in research and technology delivery systems all make the task of agricultural development more difficult. But we should also realize that to a considerable extent, the present food crisis is the result of the long-time neglect of agriculture by political leaders. Even though agriculture provides livelihoods to 70-85 percent of the people in most countries, agricultural and rural development has been given low priority. Investments in food distribution and marketing systems and in agricultural research and education are woefully inadequate. Furthermore, many governments pursued and continue to pursue a policy of providing cheap food for the politically volatile urban dwellers at the expense of production incentives for farmers. In 1986 I became involved in food crop technology transfer projects in sub-Saharan Africa, sponsored by the Nippon Foundation and its Chairman, the late Ryoichi Sasakawa, and enthusiastically supported by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Our joint program is known as Sasakawa-Global 2000, and has operated in 14 sub-Saharan African countries the past 20 years. We have assisted several million small-scale farmers to grow extension demonstration plots for basic food crops: maize, rice, sorghum, millet, wheat, cassava, and grain legumes. The recommended production technologies come from national and international agricultural research organizations, and include: (1) the use of the best available commercial varieties or hybrids (2) proper land preparation and seeding to achieve good stand establishment, (3) proper application of the appropriate fertilizers and, when needed, crop protection chemicals, (4) timely weed control, and (5) moisture conservation and/or better water use if under irrigation. We also work with participating farm families to improve on-farm storage of agricultural production, both to reduce grain losses due to spoilage and infestation and to allow farmers to hold stocks longer to exploit periods when prices in the marketplace are more favorable. Virtually without exception, farmers obtain grain yields that are two to three times higher on their demonstration plots than has been traditionally the case. Farmers' enthusiasm is high and political leaders are taking much interest in the program. Despite the formidable challenges in Africa, the elements that worked in Latin America and Asia will also work there. With more effective seed, fertilizer supply and marketing systems, hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa can make great strides in improving the nutritional and economic well being of their populations. The biggest bottleneck that must be overcome is lack of infrastructure, especially roads and transport, but also potable water and electricity. In particular, improved transport systems would greatly accelerate agricultural production, break down tribal animosities, and help establish rural schools and clinics in areas where teachers and health practitioners are heretofore unwilling to venture. Crop Research Challenges Crop productivity depends both on the yield potential of the varieties and the crop management employed to enhance input and output efficiency. Agricultural researchers and farmers worldwide face the challenge during the next 25 years of developing and applying technology that can increase the global cereal yields by 50-75 percent, and to do so in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable. Much of the yield gains will come from applying technology ``already on the shelf' but yet to be fully utilized. But there will also be new research breakthroughs, especially in plant breeding to improve yield stability and, hopefully, maximum genetic yield potential. While we must continue to push the frontiers of science forward, we also must be mindful of the need to protect the gains already made. Agriculture is a continuing struggle against mutating pathogens and insects. A clear example is the new race of stem rust that has emerged in East Africa, which is capable of devastating most of the world's commercial bread wheat varieties. Ironically, I began my career in agricultural science combating stem rust some 60 years ago and I am now in the twilight of my life, once again facing my old nemesis. There hasn't been a major stem rust epidemic for more than 50 years, since the virulent race called 15B devastated much of the North America wheat crop during 1950-54. Out of that crisis came new forms of international cooperation in plant breeding, which led to accelerated development around the world of high-yielding, disease-resistant, broadly adapted wheat varieties. However, in the ensuing years, complacency, increasing barriers to international exchange of plant breeding materials, declining budgets, staff retirements and discontinuity in training programs, has resulted in a much weakened system. This has been evident in the slow international response to a very serious new stem rust race, called Ug99, first spotted in Uganda and Kenya in the late 1990s. Ug99 has now escaped from Africa and begun its migration to North Africa and the Middle East. It won't be long before it reaches South Asia and later China, North America and the rest of the wheat-growing world. Wheat scientists are now scrambling to control this disease before it gains a foothold and causes catastrophic losses to the livelihoods of several hundred million wheat farmers and widespread global wheat shortages that will affect prices and the welfare of several billion consumers. Since 2005, excellent collaboration has been forthcoming from the USDA, key land grant universities, and USAID. A far-reaching research program is being considered by a major U.S. foundation located in Seattle that if approved could solidify and accelerate the progress to date. As part of this research effort we also hope to identify why rice, alone among the cereals, is immune to the rust fungi, and then use biotechnology to transfer this genetic immunity from rice to wheat and other cereals. If we are successful in this quest, the scourge of rust, mentioned in the bible, could finally be banished from the Earth. What Can We Expect from Biotechnology? During the 20th Century, conventional plant breeding has produced--and continues to produce--modern crop varieties and hybrids that have contributed immensely to grain yield potential, disease and insect resistance, stability of harvests and farm incomes, while sparing vast tracts of land for other uses, such as wildlife habitats, forests, and outdoor recreation. The majority of agricultural scientists including myself anticipate great benefits from biotechnology in the coming decades to help meet our future needs for food, feed, fiber, and bio-fuels. Promising work, now utilizing the powerful new tools of biotechnology, is also under way to develop greater tolerance of climatic extremes, such as drought, heat, and cold. Such research is likely to become more important in the future as the world experiences the effects of climate change. We must also persist in scientific efforts to raise maximum genetic yield potential to increase food production on lands currently in use while protecting against serious negative environmental impacts. Seventy percent of global water withdrawals are used for irrigating agricultural lands, which account for 17 percent of total cultivated land yet contribute 40 percent of our global food harvest. Expanding the area under irrigation is critical to meeting future food demand. However, competing urban demands for water will require much great efficiencies in agricultural water use. Through biotechnology we will be able to achieve ``more crop per drop'' by designing plants with reduced water requirements and adoption of improved crop/water management systems. Developing country governments need to be prepared to work with--and benefit from--the new breakthroughs in biotechnology. Regulatory frameworks are needed to guide the testing and use of genetically modified crops, which protect public welfare and the environment against undue risk. They must be cost effective to implement yet not be so restrictive that science cannot advance. Since the private sector patents its life science inventions, agricultural policy makers must be vigilant in guarding against too much concentration of ownership and also be concerned about equity of access issues, especially for poor farmers. These are legitimate matters for debate by national, regional and global governmental organizations. Even with private sector leadership in biotechnology research I believe that governments should also fund significant public research programs. This is not only important as a complement and balance to private sector proprietary research, but is also needed to ensure the proper training of new generations of scientists, both for private and public sector research institutions. U.S. agriculture is being asked to produce more food, feed, fiber and now biofuels, while protecting the environment and not greatly increasing land use. Science is ready for the task, but science will not succeed without wise and adequate support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its congressional committees. Traditional programs of research and education at USDA and in the land grant universities must continue. Congress must also invest more generously in fundamental research to learn more about the cellular and molecular events that determine how plants and animals reproduce, grow and fight off stresses such as drought, cold and disease. Most of these major innovations will start first with acquiring deeper fundamental understanding. Getting the most from fundamental research will require changes in the culture of decision making in public agricultural institutions. Leading scientists must be involved in deciding which programs have scientific merit and in setting realistic scientific priorities. There should be a council, like those of the National Institutes of Health, where scientists and stakeholders can pool their wisdom in recommending research priorities. Building such changes into the current farm bill is a high priority. Educating Urbanites about Agriculture The current backlash against agricultural science and technology evident in some industrialized countries is hard for me to comprehend. How quickly humankind becomes detached from the soil and agricultural production! Less than 4 percent of the population in the industrialized countries (less than 2 percent in the USA) is directly engaged in agriculture. With low-cost food supplies and urban bias, is it any wonder that consumers don't understand the complexities of re-producing the world food supply each year in its entirely, and expanding it further for the nearly 80 million new mouths that are born into this world annually? I believe we can help address this ``educational gap'' by making it compulsory in secondary schools and universities for students to take courses on agriculture, biology, and science and technology policy. One exciting high school program, in which I am personally involved, is the World Food Prize Youth Institute program originated by Des Moines philanthropist Juan Ruan and led by the World Food Prize Foundation. Each year, more than a 100 high school students, mainly from Iowa but now expanding to other states and countries, convene at the George Washington Carver auditorium at Pioneer Hybrid Company headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, with teachers and parents, to present their well-researched essays on about how to increase the quantity, quality, and availability of food around the world. They make these presentations in front of past and present World Food Prize laureates and other experts, and lively discussions ensue. Each year, a select few graduating seniors win travel fellowships to go to a developing country where they live and work at an agricultural research institute, and learn first hand about hunger and poverty, and the role that science and technology can play to alleviate these calamities. It is especially gratifying to see the growth and development of these young, mostly female, summer interns. It literally is a life-changing experience for them, and it shows in their performance at university and in career selections. More programs like this are needed, so that future generations of Americans have a better sense about the complexities and challenges of feeding a growing world. Agriculture and the Environment As the pace of technological change has accelerated the past 50 years, the fear of science has grown. Certainly, the breaking of the atom and the prospects of a nuclear holocaust added to people's fear, and drove a bigger wedge between the scientist and the layman. Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, published in 1962, which reported that poisons were everywhere, also struck a very sensitive nerve. Of course, this perception was not totally unfounded. By the mid 20th century air and water quality had been seriously damaged through wasteful industrial production systems that pushed effluents often literally into ``our own backyards.'' We all owe a debt of gratitude to environmental movement in the industrialized nations, which has led to legislation over the past 40 years to improve air and water quality, protect wildlife, control the disposal of toxic wastes, protect the soils, and reduce the loss of biodiversity. However, these positive environmental trends are not found in the developing countries, where environmental degradation, especially in Africa, threatens ecological stability if not reversed. There is often a deadlock between agriculturalists and environmentalists over what constitutes ``sustainable agriculture'' in the Third World. This debate has confused-- if not paralyzed--many in the international donor community who, afraid of antagonizing powerful environmental lobbying groups, have turned away from supporting sciencebased agricultural modernization projects still needed in much of smallholder Asia, subSaharan Africa, and Latin America. This deadlock must be broken. We cannot lose sight of the enormous job before us to feed 10 billion people, 90 percent of whom will begin life in a developing country, and many in poverty. Only through dynamic agricultural development will there be any hope to alleviate poverty and improve human health and productivity, and reducing political instability. Closing Comments Thirty seven years ago, in my acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, I said that the Green Revolution had won a temporary success in man's war against hunger, which if fully implemented, could provide sufficient food for humankind through the end of the 20th century. But I warned that unless the frightening power of human reproduction was curbed, the success of the Green Revolution would only be ephemeral. It took some 10,000 years to expand food production to the current level of about 5 billion tons per year. By 2050, we will likely need to nearly double current production again. This cannot be done unless farmers across the world have access to high-yielding crop production methods as well as new biotechnological breakthroughs that can increase the crop yields, dependability, and nutritional quality. Indeed, it is higher farm incomes that will permit small-scale farmers in the Third World to make desperately needed investments to protect their natural resources. As Kenyan archeologist Richard Leakey likes to reminds us, ``you have to be well-fed to be a conservationist.'' We have to bring common sense into the debate on agricultural science and technology and the sooner the better! The United States is the greatest agricultural success story of the 20th Century. Through science and technology and farmer ingenuity, American agriculture has achieved levels of productivity second to none. We also have a great tradition, especially in earlier decades, of helping low-income; food- deficit nations to get their own agricultural systems moving. Our private agri-businesses have invested heavily in the development of productivity-enhancing technology, not only to the benefit of this country but also around the world. American public institutions--the land-grant universities and colleges, the USDA, and the U.S. Department of State--have play key roles in the transformation of subsistence agriculture, especially in Asia and Latin America. This has been good for the American people and the world. Lest we forget, world peace will not be built on empty stomachs or human misery. I would be remiss if I did not thank the Administration for establishing the USDA Borlaug Fellows program in 2004, in my honor, at the time of my 90th birthday. This is an international program that actively engages universities like my own Texas A&M University, my alma mater, the University of Minnesota, and many other of our fine land grant universities and colleges. The Borlaug fellows program also has links to the international agricultural research centers located abroad and to private agro-industry. The aim is to provide relatively young scientists from developing countries with opportunities to travel to the USA to gain practical experience and upgrade their technical skills at advanced agricultural laboratories. So far, USDA has been able, with the assistance of USAID, to piece together funding for about 150 Borlaug fellows to come to the United States each year. With more permanent funding, along the lines of the Fulbright program, USDA and the partner universities could implement a more substantial range of learning and personal development opportunities for young scientists and agricultural leaders from developing countries. This would be good for the individual recipients, their sponsoring institutions and countries, and also, I believe, for America. Texas A&M University and Ohio State University have been working through the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC) to prepare a more substantial proposal for consideration by Congress. My plea today to the members of Congress and to the Administration is to re-commit the United States to more dynamic and generous programs of official development assistance in agriculture for Third World nations, as was done in the 1960s and 1970s. Evershrinking foreign aid budgets in support of smallholder agriculture, and especially to multilateral research and development organizations such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) where I have worked for 40 years, as well as its sister research institutes under the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), are not in our nation's best interest, nor do they represent our finest traditions. As you chart the course of this great nation for the future benefit of our children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren, I ask you to think more boldly and humanely about the Third World and develop a new version of the Marshall plan, this time not to rescue a war-torn Europe, but now to help the nearly one billion, mostly rural poor people still trapped in hunger and misery. It is within America's technical and financial power to help end this human tragedy and injustice, if we set our hearts and minds to the task.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the Speaker for the opportunity to speak this morning. I want to congratulate my good friend, former colleague from Iowa, Jim Nussle, on the unveiling of his portrait today and I would encourage all of his former colleagues to attend that ceremony at 4 o'clock this afternoon in 210 in the Cannon House Office Building. Jim Nussle was a tireless advocate for the future of this country, and through the Budget Committee that he chaired for 6 years, did an outstanding job of fighting for the next generation to understand that the entitlement programs that are going to really cause devastation in our budgets in the future should be addressed, and fought tirelessly for the next generation. As we all know, Jim Nussle has been nominated to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. There is no one better qualified than Jim Nussle, that has the skill to do this job, that has the budget knowledge. Jim Nussle is the most knowledgeable person we could possibly have in that position. He'll be a tireless advocate for a balanced budget, someone that can work across the aisle, as he did on the Budget Committee. And the comments from the ranking member last year really indicate how well Jim Nussle will work for our country and to lead our Nation and to manage this enormous government that we have. So let's commend Jim Nussle, show up for the unveiling and really be advocates for him to continue his service for the country.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of Mr. Dale Schumacher, a wood working, automotive, and metal working teacher at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa, and to express my appreciation for his dedication and commitment to the youth of Iowa. For the last 42 years, Dale has contributed his time and his talents to the betterment of so many young adults and for this I offer him my utmost congratulations and thanks. Dale has had a large impact on shaping the lives of his students. One of Dale's favorite things about teaching at Perry High School was serving as a sponsor to the TSA Skills program. In the 42 years since its inception, the Perry High School TSA team has never failed to qualify for nationals, thanks in large part to the guidance of Dale Schumacher. He especially enjoyed the program because it gave students a chance to show off the skills they learned in the classroom. Dale has made a significant impact on students throughout his illustrious career and for that I express my most sincere gratitude, His leadership will be missed, but the footprint he leaves will inspire many to dream big, reach high, and achieve great things. I consider it an honor to represent Dale Schumacher in Congress, and I wish him and his wife Alice a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the city of Churdan, located in Greene County, in Iowa's 4th Congressional District, which will celebrate its 125th birthday with a celebration and parade from June 29th through July 1st. I also rise to recognize two of my constituents, Raymond Roper and Edith Smith, who were recently announced king and queen of the Churdan quasquicentennial. Mr. Roper received a Purple Heart for his service to the Nation in World War II. He is also a lifelong farmer whose dedication and commitment to his community inspires all of Churdan. In 1981, Raymond started the Avenue of Flags, which fly in both the Highland Township and St. Patrick cemeteries on Memorial Day and has been the supervisor of that project ever since. In 2003, Raymond received the Iowa High School Athletic Association's service award for 45 years of public address announcing four sports at Paton-Churdan High School. Ms. Smith has been active in community activities throughout her life and is a longtime member of the Twentieth Century Club. Edith dedicated 32 years of her life to the Churdan Post Office where she helped countless people. After she retired, she managed a dress shop for many years. Most recently, Edith was runner-up in the 2007 Greene County bridge marathon at age 91. Both Raymond Roper and Edith Smith have helped make Churdan and Greene County a better place through their selfless dedication to community service. Many people owe their success in life to the inspiration they both embody. I consider it an honor to represent Raymond Roper and Edith Smith in Congress, and again I congratulate the city of Churdan on its 125th birthday celebration.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. First of all, I would like to thank the committee and the gentleman from Illinois, Chairman Davis, for moving this piece of legislation as quickly as they have through the committee and for the opportunity to bring this I think most appropriate legislation to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to support legislation that I introduced to honor Major Scott E. Nisely of Marshalltown, Iowa, one of America's heroes who was killed in combat on September 30, 2006, while serving our country in Iraq. Scott Nisely served 22 years in the Marines as an officer on active duty and as a Reservist, retiring with the rank of major. During his time in the Marines, he served as an infantry company commander in Operation Desert Storm. And following his active duty, Scott worked 12 years for the U.S. Postal Service in Marshalltown, Iowa. Due to Scott's strong desire to serve his country, he accepted an enlisted rank in order to fill a vacancy in the Iowa Army National Guard in 2002. According to letters I have received from soldiers in Scott's unit, he did not broadcast the fact that he was a former Marine major, but humbly served his fellow soldiers. One officer also said he was a ``natural born leader of soldiers.'' Scott served with the Iowa National Guard on the Multinational Forces Observer mission in the Sinai, and finally in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Scott's friends, family, coworkers, fellow soldiers and marines attest to the positive and lasting impact he had on their lives. Numerous letters from these individuals were sent to me, and I include them for the Record. Scott's life was a shining example of dedication to service, a strong commitment certainly to his family, his faith, and his country. This legislation will name the post office located at 309 East Linn Street in Marshalltown, Iowa, the Major Scott Nisely Post Office. I want to thank Scott's co-workers at the Marshalltown post office who initiated this proposal, and I am proud to help them make this timely and appropriate honor a reality. I also want to thank my colleagues from Iowa, Leonard Boswell, Steve King, Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack for their support in moving this legislation forward. I strongly urge all Members to pass H.R. 2563. Department of the Army, Headquarters, 1st Battalion 133D Infantry, Al Asad Ab, Iraq, June 8, 2007. Congressman Tom Latham, Ames, Iowa. Dear Mr. Latham: I am responding to an inquiry to determine if my unit would support the consideration of naming the United States Post Office in Marshalltown, Iowa after one of my soldiers, Scott Nisely. The bottom line on this is yes, I, and my entire unit fully support this effort, and see this as a fitting tribute to this fallen citizen soldier. As a Battalion Commander, I have many soldiers that are under my command. I have deployed in the service of our country 3 times since September of 2000, I have been entrusted with some of the finest young people that our State and our Nation have to offer. Let me share with you a little bit about Scott Nisely from my perspective. Scott joined the Iowa National Guard after completing a full military career in the Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps as a Field Grade Officer. He then joined the National Guard as an enlisted soldier in the rank of a Buck Sergeant, because this was what was offered to him. On my second deployment, and my first with Scott Nisely, I asked him what motivated him to do this; his reply was that he felt he could make a difference in the lives of these young men, and he still felt a strong desire to serve his country in whatever capacity he could. He didn't care about the rank, he didn't care about the job, as long as he was working with young soldiers, and serving our country. To me this was evident during our OEF deployment, and in our current mission in Iraq. Scott was a man that was respected by all those around him, not because of the words he said, but because of the way that he lived his life and by the example he set for others. We all lost something the day we lost SFC Nisely and SGT Sourivong. We cannot change the events that happened on that day, but we can honor these men, and the sacrifice that they have made. I believe by naming the Marshalltown Post Office in honor of Scott Nisely, we will always have a visible reminder of this sacrifice, and are honoring a great American who lived his life in a manner that we should all strive to pattern. He lived his life with honor and integrity, love for his family, and love for his country. Sincerely, Benjamin J. Corell, Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry, Commanding.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding me time, and I congratulate the committee and the chairman for bringing this piece of legislation forward. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2359, the Small Business Administration Entrepreneurial Development Programs Act. I am especially pleased that the Small Business Committee included legislation that I introduced earlier this Congress, H.R. 731, the National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act, into this broad legislative package. This National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act utilizes one of SBA's most effective programs, the Small Business Development Center program. Generally the SBDCs support small businesses with financial, management, and marketing activities. My legislation, included in section 207 of H.R. 2359, creates a pilot program through the SBDCs that will provide free confidential counseling on regulatory compliance and help small businesses gain access to regulatory information and resources. The research done by the Small Business Administration demonstrates that small businesses with less than 20 employees pay more than $7,600 per employee to comply with Federal regulations each year, while large firms pay 45 percent less per employee. Adjusted for inflation, the annual cost of Federal regulations faced by America's small businesses in 2004 was over $875 billion. The fact of the matter is many small business owners have neither the time nor the expertise to sort through hundreds of pages of regulations in the Federal Register. Small business owners often learn of their failure to comply with Federal regulations or even that new Federal regulations have been imposed only after a penalty has been assessed. The current system denies small businesses access to regulatory compliance assistance and further weakens the opportunity for America's small businesses to compete with larger firms both domestically and internationally. The Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act represents a win-win for America's small businesses. Not only will the SBDCs help small business owners understand what they must do to comply with Federal regulations but also how they may do so in a most cost-effective manner. Again, I would like to thank the committee for including this legislation in the bill, and I urge my colleagues to support the overall bill.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate a student from Lenihan Intermediate School in Marshalltown, IA. Rebekah Frese has been selected to present her award winning history project at the Smithsonian National Museum of America. Rebekah's project was one of a handful selected by the National History Day program from hundreds of thousands nationwide. Each project reflected on this year's National History Day theme, ``Triumph and Tragedy in History.'' Rebekah's project highlighted the underground railroad in the State of Iowa. Iowa had numerous locations on the underground railroad actively assisting runaway slaves to reach Canada and freedom. In taverns, houses, and cellers throughout the State, fleeing slaves were able to realize a few hours of security and rest thanks to the great Iowans who risked their own lives and property to befriend and protect the fleeing slaves. Rebekah's teachers, Millie Frese and Karen Roessler, are also to be commended and congratulated for this accomplishment. They have instilled the importance and value of history in their students as an integral part of the education of Rebekah, her classmates, and future generations of Iowans.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hamilton County, Webster City, and the Webster City Daily Freeman-Journal on their 150th year anniversary. Hamilton County is located in north central Iowa and is home to approximately 16,500 people. It was named in honor of William W. Hamilton, who served as President of the Iowa State Senate from 1856-1857. Hamilton County was home to MacKinlay Kantor who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1956 for his novel Andersonville. The county seat of Hamilton County is Webster City, which is located along the Boone River. The city was started by Wilson Brewer when he built a log cabin by the Boone River. Brewer and William Flakes platted the town of Newcastle, which was later sold for $22,000 to Walter Wilson and his brother Sumler. Wilson was eventually elected State representative; in that capacity he requested the help of William Hamilton to divide the rather large county of Webster into two counties, Webster and Hamilton. The act of January 1, 1857 officially changed the city name from Newcastle to Webster City. Throughout its long tenure The Daily Freeman-Journal has provided excellent national, state, and local news coverage to the people of Webster City and Hamilton County. The Daily Freeman-Journal is Hamilton County's longest continuously operating business. Throughout its history, the paper has won numerous awards including the Governor's Volunteer Award, Outstanding Outreach/Community Service Newspaper, numerous advertising awards, and several best page awards. Again, I congratulate Hamilton County, Webster City, and The Daily Freeman-Journal on this historic anniversary.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank very much Congressman King for the time. It is very difficult for me to talk about someone that I admired so much as Wiley Mayne, the idea of him having passed this earth. Wiley was born back in 1917. He passed away on May 27 of this year. He was born in a little town of Sanborn up in O'Brien County, and what a great area up there, a lot of the good Dutch men, and grew up, went to school there. And you think about someone coming from Sanborn, Iowa, then going off to Harvard to college, and he got his bachelor of science degree, continued studying law at Harvard, came back to Iowa and finished his law degree at the Iowa Law School. In 1941, he joined the FBI and had his career there. And then, during the Second World War, from 1941 to 1943, he served in the United States Navy and escorted destroyers through the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific and served his Nation extraordinarily well at that time. He came back to Sioux City, practiced law for a couple decades, then became the president of the Iowa Bar Association and obviously was so admired and respected by his peers to have an honor bestowed on him like that. Like the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) said, Congressman Mayne was elected to this Congress in 1966 in the 90th Congress, served in that Congress and the three following Congresses and served his people extraordinarily well. He was someone who was dedicated to his constituents, someone that cared all the time about his constituents. And you talk to people who were around him at that time, and that's the thing that you will hear over and over, was his concern, his great job of representing his constituents. In my mind, in this job, that is our highest calling is to try and represent to the best of our abilities the people that we are honored to serve in this great body. Like Congressman King said, Congressman Mayne had the committee assignments, both Judiciary and obviously with the Watergate investigation and his service on that panel, then also served on the Ag Committee, very, very important to the Iowa interests, and served extremely well. The thing I will always remember about Wiley, though, is his deep love and devotion to his wife, Betty. And they were a couple. You'd have the pleasure of meeting up with them at a lot of Republican events and around, but they rarely missed anything, were always so much part of the community. And Wiley served on the Sioux City Orchestra Board for years and years, I think was president for 20 years, but so involved in the community. But his love for Betty, who he unfortunately lost back in 2001, was devastating to Wiley, and was such a model of a couple who cared for each other, cared for their community, and certainly, most importantly to them were their children. Martha Smith, who is their oldest daughter, lives in Colorado now. Wiley, Jr., also I believe lives in Colorado, and their youngest, John, who's a very good, personal friend of mine, who has been such a great help to me personally and to so many people throughout the Sioux City area, but their love for their family, for their grandchildren, for their community was something that was an example for everyone to see and their dedication to their grandchildren especially. It is very, very difficult to think about Wiley not being around. I think back when I first ran for Congress back in 1994, and to go over to Sioux City, where I wasn't really familiar with all that many people at that time, but I had the real pleasure and honor to get acquainted with Wiley and John and Betty at that time and to seek their support and which they gave me. And I would not be successful here today if it were not for the advice, counsel and support that they gave me. Wiley was just a wonderful, wonderful person. When you think about people who always are thinking beyond themselves, who act on behalf of other people, who are truly concerned about what this country stands for, what their community is about, how they can better the world that they live in for their children and for their grandchildren, Wiley Mayne was one of those people, and he will be dearly missed by so many people throughout Siouxland for so long. And certainly, I want to extend my personal condolences to the entire Mayne family, all the children, the grandchildren, all the friends that mourn his loss, as certainly I do, and I know Congressman King does, also. But he was an example to me. I went through the predicament, the situation with the impeachment process for President Clinton, and the first person that I called for counsel was Wiley Mayne because he had been through it. And I think people misrepresented what his real position was because he was betrayed by President Nixon, but to get his counsel, to get his insight, to get his thoughts, someone who was so smart and so normal, who could talk in real terms, who could relay not only the facts but the emotions, the feeling, the real sentiment about what this was all about and the long-term, historical part of what was happening. I just want to tell Congressman King, I appreciate the chance to visit a little bit about Wiley, but I'm going to miss him personally. And again, I just extend my most sincere condolences to his entire family. And the best thing we can do for Wiley is to celebrate him, celebrate his life, celebrate the positive things that he did and celebrate the legacy that he has left for the folks in Sioux City, for Siouxland and the State of Iowa and for this entire country. And I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to honor Scott Nisely of Marshalltown, Iowa, one of America's heroes who was killed in combat on September 30, 2006, while serving our country in Iraq. Scott Nisley served 22 years in the Marines as an officer on active duty and as a reservist, retiring with the rank of major. He then worked 12 years for the U.S. Postal Service in Marshalltown, Iowa. Due to Scott's strong desire to serve his country, he accepted an enlisted rank in order to fill a vacancy in the Iowa Army National Guard. Scott had served a tour of duty during Operation Desert Storm as a marine in addition to Operation Iraqi Freedom as a guardsman. Scott's friends, family, coworkers and fellow soldiers and marines attest to the positive and lasting impact he had on their lives. Scott's life was a shining example of dedication to service, and a strong commitment to his family, faith and country. The legislation I am introducing with the support of my colleagues from Iowa--Leonard Boswell, Steve King, Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack--would name the post office located at 309 East Linn Street in Marshalltown, Iowa, the ``Major Scott Nisely Post Office.'' The proposal was initiated by Scott's coworkers at the Marshalltown Post Office, and I am proud to help them make this timely and appropriate honor a reality. I strongly encourage my colleagues to swiftly consider and pass this legislation.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.J. Res. 40, which was added by the sponsor without my permission.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding. I rise today in strong opposition to this rule, and there is one very good reason. Partisanship has reached an unconscionable level in this House. Just for the simple fact that I am in the minority party, the Rules Committee did not allow an amendment which would have given a 9-year- old child from my district access to the death gratuity that her mother wanted her to have when she was killed in Iraq, just for partisan reasons. Susan Jaenke, the mother of Jaimie Jaenke, who was killed in Iraq, along with her granddaughter, Kayla, came to Washington at great expense and trouble and testified before the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee. There was broad bipartisan support for an amendment that would simply allow access to the death gratuity of Jaimie Jaenke by her daughter. This is outrageous, the fact that you would deny a 9-year-old child access. Her grandparents don't have the money to raise this child. She has no spouse. It would not cost a dime. It is the right thing to do. In the committee, on a bipartisan basis, people said they would do anything possible to help in this situation. I brought this before the Rules Committee and explained what is going on, how this child is denied access to funding so that she can have a decent life; and it was denied simply for partisan reasons. I would think you would be ashamed. And this is not just a single case. There are at least 143 cases exactly like this. And to deny a child access to this benefit is simply outrageous. Vote against this outrageous rule.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the Speaker for the time to rise in support of this resolution to honor our great friend, Jim Leach, by naming the courthouse in Davenport, Iowa, after him. It is a well-deserved honor. I miss Jim Leach around here because of his great sense of humor, his insight, his thoughtfulness, someone who was a strong Iowa Hawkeye supporter, having the Hawks in his district, and I, myself, representing Iowa State, so we used to go back and forth an awful lot. Jim Leach will be remembered here in this body for his 30 years of service, his great thoughtfulness, his intellect, someone who, whether it be in financial services, and the Financial Services Modernization Act bears his name, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley bill; whether it be trying to stop gambling predators over the Internet; someone who knew and understood international policy, foreign affairs like no one else; someone who had such a broad breadth of knowledge, who could bring that forth and convey it to other folks in a very kind and thoughtful way. He does represent the very best of what's in this Congress, and that is a spirit of bipartisanship, of thought over politics, of actions rather than posturing; someone who I have the greatest personal respect for. And I'm so pleased that Mr. Loebsack has brought this resolution to the floor of the House, and I would urge everyone to support this resolution in honor of James Leach. And I want to commend him, also his wife, Deva, and the family; just wonderful people, and an honor like this could not go to a nicer person or a more deserving individual.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, as a proud cosponsor of H.R. 1045, a bill to designate the federal building located at 210 Walnut street in downtown Des Moines, Iowa as the ``Neal Smith Federal Building,'' I strongly support its passage. As a distinguished public servant to an Americans--a World War II bomber pilot and the State of Iowa's longest serving Member of the U.S. House of Representatives--Neal Smith deserves to be recognized by this body, where he served the people of Iowa with honor for 36 years. To this day, Neal Smith is held in high regard by Iowans. His accomplishments as a member of the House Appropriations Committee helped strengthen Iowa's economy and improve the lives of its citizens. In addition to his committee work, Neal Smith championed many issues important to Iowa agriculture and the environment. Neal Smith is credited with creating the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and a federal national wildlife refuge in Prairie City, Iowa that now bares his name. But what is most impressive to me and most important to Iowa and this country is the dedication and sacrifice Neal Smith made during World War II. As a courageous United States Army Air Force bomber pilot Neal Smith, encountered enemy fire and his plane was shot down. His valor and perseverance earned him the Purple Heart, nine Battle Stars and the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters. Neal Smith--Iowa is proud and thankful for your many years of service and I proudly support H.R. 1045.