Ron Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable individual from my home district. Dr. Robert Smotherman, school superintendent of the Bardstown Independent School System, is retiring this month, bringing his distinguished career as an educator to a close. Before becoming Superintendent in 1983, Dr. Smotherman spent a 9-year tenure as principal and assistant superintendent in the Kingsport, TN school system. He earlier taught in schools in Atlanta, Birmingham, and Nashville. During his 22 years as superintendent, Bardstown Independent Schools has been a catalyst for many Kentucky firsts including first in the state to create a private educational foundation to raise money for the school district; the first district to offer an educational program for all 3- and 4-year olds regardless of economics or special needs; the first district to mandate school uniforms; and the first district in Kentucky to move to a year-round calendar at all schools. He has also been a tireless advocate, throughout his tenure, for effective Adult Education. The current program offers a wide range of educational opportunity and the GED program, producing over 150 graduates annually. Dr. Smotherman has been a consistent recipient of academic and community honors including being named one of the ``Top 100 Superintendents in America'' by Executive Educator Magazine, the Kentucky Department of Education's ``Good Apple'' Award, the American Legion Award for Educational Excellence, and the Jenson Award from the National Association for Year Round Schools, recognizing his outstanding leadership in a movement that he helped to organize. Dr. Smotherman served on the NAYRE Board of Directors and was later elected President of the national organization, the first Kentuckian to hold that position. In 2003, Dr. Smotherman was named to the Bardstown- Nelson County ``Hall of Fame.'' I applaud Robert Smotherman's accomplshments in public education, an occupation of great responsibility and ever greater reward, motivating young people to recognize and develop their talents and abilities. On behalf of so many in the Bardstown area, I would like to express my profound appreciation for his service and inspiration to the countless men and women who have benefited from his generosity and vision. It is my great privilege to recognize Robert Smotherman today, before the entire U.S. House of Representatives, for his many achievements as an educator. His unique dedication to the development and well-being of young people and the communities they now serve make him an outstanding citizen worthy of our collective honor and respect.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House on Monday, June 20, 2005 so that I could testify before the BRAC Commission regional hearing in St. Louis, MO, on behalf of Ft. Knox, an Army instillation in my district designated for significant realignment. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: House amendment 328, claiming religious proselytizing at the Air Force Academy, ``no.'' House amendment 330, prohibiting funds for activities in Uzbekistan, ``no.'' House amendment 331, prohibiting military action against Syria, Iran, N. Korea without Congress authority, ``no.'' House amendment 333, prohibiting funds for carrying out sections of the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program Act, ``no.'' H.R. 2863, on final passage of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2006, ``yea.''

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of my colleagues a fantastic program aimed at boosting the morale of our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Operation Slugger is a partnership between the Association for the U.S. Army, AUSA, DHL Express, Louisville Slugger, USA Cares, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, focused on providing sporting equipment for recreational activities for our soldiers in the field. This partnership is a response to the numerous requests from U.S. soldiers asking for sports equipment for use during their leisure time. I am proud to represent Fort Knox, which is one of the many locations across the country, including VFW posts and private businesses, where new and gently used equipment is being collected to make up sports kits. These kits will consist of baseball bats and balls, softball and baseball gloves, hats, footballs, basketballs, rugby balls, and soccer balls. The donated goods, which are expected to exceed 20 tons, will be transported by DHL to Louisville Slugger Field and on to the U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan. As the men and women of our military put their lives on the line for us, I want to thank these organizations for giving something back to the troops. Please join me in thanking AUSA, DHL, Louisville Slugger, USA Cares, the VFW, and all of the people who have participated for their contributions to Operation Slugger.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Of course the question is, who is the government? Well, the government would be the taxpayers of the United States. They are the ones who have to back up all the spending that goes on here in Washington, D.C. For 40 years the Democrats controlled Congress. They did not mind spending Social Security, every dime of it, in any way they wanted to. In fact, the Democrats, for 40 years, set us on a path of an unlimited credit card without the assets to back it up. Just recently, before the Ways and Means Committee, we had the Comptroller General of the General Accountability Office, David Walker. And David Walker testified that right now the United States needs $43 trillion to meet the unfunded liabilities and debt. That is four times the size of the American economy. That is scary. Now, David Walker was appointed by Bill Clinton. David Walker is a nonpartisan independent, and he says that we have got to get control of mandated spending, entitlements. This budget is starting to get real. Because if we do not face this challenge, then our children and our grandchildren are going to face, as was described a little earlier, an economic tsunami. I can see the ocean going out now if we are talking about $43 trillion of unfunded liabilities and debts. The question is when will the wave come back in. We have got to get serious. We have got to be nonpartisan and work together to solve some of these issues, or we are going to have a terrible, terrible tragedy in this country. So it is time to get real. We have to get control of spending in this country. And by the year 2020, Mr. Walker says that all the funds coming into the general Treasury will be consumed by entitlements and interest on the debt. There will be nothing left over for discretionary spending and for Congress to make decisions. By the year 2040 all the money coming into the Federal Treasury will be consumed by the interest. We will lose Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, period, if we do not get real and reform the process.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay public tribute to a remarkable individual from my home district. Robert Kerrick, principal of Hancock County High School, is retiring this spring, bringing his distinguished 30 year career as an educator to a close. Before becoming principal, Mr. Kerrick completed a 14 year tenure as a teacher and one year as an assistant principal in the Hancock County school system. During his 15 years as principal, Hancock County High School has been a consistent recipient of academic and athletic honors including CATS Top 10 and Blue Ribbon School distinctions along with numerous state and regional championships in men's and women's team sports. In 2003, Mr. Kerrick received the prestigious Dawson Orman Award from the Kentucky Association of Secondary School Principals, naming him Kentucky's most outstanding high school principal. I applaud Robert Kerrick's accomplishments in public education, an occupation of great responsibility and ever greater reward, motivating young people to recognize and develop their talents and abilities. On behalf of so many in Hancock County, I would like to express my profound appreciation for his service and inspiration to the countless men and women who have benefited from his generosity and vision. It is my great privilege to recognize Robert Kerrick today, before the entire U.S. House of Representatives, for his many achievements as an educator. His unique dedication to the development and well-being of young people and the communities they now serve make him an outstanding citizen worthy of our collective honor and respect.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House on Tuesday, April 12, attending a funeral for a soldier in my district who died heroically last week in the effort to liberate Iraq. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: H.R. 135: To establish the Twenty-First Century Water Commission to study and develop recommendations for a comprehensive water strategy to address future water needs, ``yea.'' H.R. 541: To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain land to Lander County, NV, and the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to Eureka County, NV, for continued use as cemeteries, ``yea.''

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the Ukrainian people and their President, Viktor Yushchenko. President Yushchenko's election last fall marked a powerful triumph of popular will over the forces of fraud and repression. Mr. Yushchenko's vision of the Ukraine, shared in his address to Congress this week, is an inspiration to freedom loving men and women in Eastern Europe and across the globe. Through the power of peaceful protest, the government of the Ukraine embraced the forces of freedom last fall, conducting free elections for the first time in over eight decades. The world watched as nearly 80 percent of eligible Ukrainian voters turned out to cast ballots on December 26, 2004. This remarkable participation is a measure of the collective courage of the Ukraine people, many of whom voted despite threats to their personal safety and employment. President Yushchenko himself carries visual scars, a tangible badge of his own strength and resolute determination in the struggle for freedom. He has demonstrated enormous grace and selflessness in his perseverance. He is well known as a man of high integrity who surely, with the cooperation of global allies, will work hard to reject the corrupt political forces that sought to block him from public office. We in this Chamber have pledged our support for the Ukraine through resolutions, words, and deeds. It is an honor to welcome President Yushchenko to the United States. I look forward to working with him and the good people of the Ukraine during this exciting moment in their nation's history.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay public tribute to a remarkable individual from my home district. Don Morris, a legendary High School basketball coach in Breckinridge and Hardin County, KY, was recently inducted into the Dawahares/Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. His induction honors his 21 years of coaching success; winning an impressive 353 games and leading two teams to the state championship game. Most people know about Kentucky's love of basketball and the commitment many make every season to win. Coach Morris' athletic achievements epitomize a work ethic and commitment to succeed worthy of the Hall of Fame. But it was the lessons Don Morris instilled in his players about life's priorities, impressions countless young men took far off the court and applied many years after High School, that remain the true measure of his legacy. A master of the sport, he always conducted himself in the highest standard, expecting both athletic and personal excellence from those he led. Each year, Morris shared with his team a simple message; ``Church, home, school and ball and in that order.'' It was a priority list that has endured in the hearts and minds of hundreds of former players. I would like to recognize Don Morris today, before the entire U.S. House of Representatives, for his many achievements as a coach. His unique dedication to the development and well-being of student-athletes and the communities they now serve make him an outstanding citizen, worthy of our collective honor and respect.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House on Tuesday, April 5th due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: H. Res. 108: Commemorating the life of the late Zurab Zhvania, Prime Minister of Georgia, ``yea.'' H. Res. 120: Commending the outstanding efforts by members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development in response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, ``yea.'' H. Con. Res. 34: Honoring the life and contributions of Yogi Bhajan, a leader of Sikhs, and expressing condolences to the Sikh community on his passing, ``yea.''

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the millions of people across the globe paying public, private and prayerful tribute to the life of Pope John Paul II. The experiences of Karol Wojtyla's youth and priesthood in Poland created a unique depth of faith and empathy with the human condition perfectly suited for the times in which he led. Through the early death of his parents, he understood the fragility of life, empowering him with an unshakable devotion to the preciousness of all humanity. His young adulthood under Nazi and Soviet occupation gave him an acute understanding of oppression, inspiring him to become the most significant vessel of peaceful subversion to the forces of communism in Eastern Europe and apartheid in South Africa. His intimate exposure to the holocaust and enduring friendships with Polish Jews in his community allowed him to become a conduit of contrition and fellowship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish faith. He was one of the most vigorous, charismatic and universally admired religious leaders in the history of the modem world. His travels, visiting 129 countries during his papacy, delivered the Christian message to every comer of the planet. His many trips, particularly to the Third World, illustrated his identification with the poor. His prolonged health struggle was a powerful example of dignity and spiritual deliverance in the face of human suffering. While on his deathbed he wrote, ``I am happy, and you should be as well. Let us pray together with joy.'' Upon being informed of the masses of young people holding vigil outside his window, the Pope, who had worked so tirelessly advocating for the young, said: ``I have looked for you. Now you have come to me. And I thank you.'' He reportedly looked out the window and uttered his last word: ``Amen.'' The life and times of Pope John Paul II constitute a portrait of greatness seemingly without precedent in modernity. Throughout his 26 years as Pope, one man, Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, spread faith, uplifted the poor, challenged political oppression, worked to heal centuries-old inter-faith rifts, and inspired billions with his quiet grace. His legacy shall endure for the ages.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay public tribute to a remarkable individual from my home district. Robert C. Wade, Sr., a leader in Kentucky rural electrification, retired in December from the Board of Directors at Nolin Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, bringing his distinguished 34-year tenure to a close. Bob began his service on the Nolin Board of Directors in June 1970. Four years later he was elevated to Chairman, leading Nolin RECC through 29 years of unprecedented growth and development. Bob incorporated a rare combination of intelligent leadership, innovation, and consistent hard work to create a work ethic that has established Nolin as a model of excellence throughout the cooperative industry. In addition to his dedicated service at Nolin, Bob was also a past chair of Speak Up For Rural Electrification, SURE, and served as a director and on the Planning and Objectives Committee of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, CFC, in Herndon, Virginia. In each endeavor, Bob demonstrated a unique and effective commitment to the cause of rural electrification. Today, I would like to recognize Robert C. Wade, Sr., before the entire U.S. House of Representatives, for his contributions to his community, his state and his Nation. His many achievements in the cooperative movement and rural electrification make him an outstanding American, worthy of our collective respect and honor.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay public tribute to a remarkable individual from my home state of Kentucky. Dave Jarrett has been a longtime unsung hero in my congressional district as an advocate for veterans and mentor to countless young men and women considering enrollment in our Nation's military academies. Dave demonstrated unusual courage and a selfless instinct to help others from an early age, graduating with distinction from the Naval Academy and serving our country honorably in the Vietnam war. This keen sense of duty and sacrifice was an early indication of his character, qualities that have made him a brilliant public servant in the years that have followed. A disabled veteran himself, Dave volunteers generous amounts of time as District Commander of Disabled American Veterans, attending meetings and advising fellow veterans on benefit issues. He meets with veterans at the Hardin County Courthouse every Thursday to help them with the process of filing for veteran benefits. He also serves as a member of the Second Congressional District Military Academy Nomination Board and as a Blue and Gold officer for the U.S. Naval Academy. As we pay tribute to our nation's veterans this week, I would like to recognize Mr. Jarrett, before the entire U.S. House of Representatives, for his lifelong example of leadership and service. His efforts, from Annapolis to Southeast Asia to Hardin County, make him an outstanding American, worthy of our collective respect and honor.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Owensboro Southern Little League Baseball Team for their remarkable season and recent participation in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They demonstrated great sportsmanship before a national audience, representing competitive values that make Kentucky proud. The hours of extra practice under the leadership of Manager Vic Evans, Jr, brought this impressive distinction to the State of Kentucky and City of Owensboro. I want my colleagues in the House of Representatives to know of the pride that I have in representing these athletes and their families. I would like to commend Owensboro Southern for their magnificent season--an effort that epitomized team work, sportsmanship, and persistence. I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in congratulating these young athletes for their achievement and wish them continued success in seasons to come

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Owensboro Southern Little League Baseball Team for their remarkable season and recent participation in the Little League Championship Tournament in Williamsport, PA. Owensboro Southern came within one strike from advancing to the Little League World Series, finishing with an impressive semi-final victory. They demonstrated great sportsmanship before a national audience, representing competitive values that make Kentucky proud. The hours of extra practice under the leadership of Coach Vic Evans, brought this impressive distinction to the State of Kentucky and city of Owensboro. I want my colleagues in the House of Representatives to know of the pride that I have in representing these athletes and their families. I would like to commend the Owensboro Southern for their magnificent season--an effort that epitomized team work, sportsmanship, and persistence. I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in congratulating these young athletes for their achievement and wish them continued success in seasons to come.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Louisville Stunners 16 and under girls fastpitch softball team for their remarkable season and recent participation in the USSSA World Series in Columbus, Indiana. The Stunners were the only team to represent the State of Kentucky at the championship tournament, finishing with an impressive 4th place standing among 54 participating teams. They also brought home the distinguished sportsmanship award, representing competitive values that make Kentucky proud. The hours of extra practice under the leadership of Head Coach Kevin Johnson and Assistant Coach Keith Roller brought this impressive distinction to the State of Kentucky and City of Louisville. I want my colleagues in the House of Representatives to know of the pride that I have in representing these athletes and their families: Whitney Atcher, Alicia Ewen, Jennifer Young, Jodi Pence, Jennifer Kisselbaugh, Tiffany Dean, Kasey Graham, Krystle Johnson, Holly Goemmer, Jessica McGohon, and Courtney Roller. I would like to commend the Stunners for their magnificent season--an effort that epitomized team work, sportsmanship, and persistence. I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in congratulating these young athletes for their achievement and wish them continued success in seasons to come.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to also applaud the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas); and, Chairman Thomas, I think you not only came back with your shield, but for the Kentucky tobacco farmers and their families, I think you came back as a knight in shining armor. This is a fair and comprehensive final product that came out of the conference. And as a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, I recognize the importance of stimulating continued economic growth by enabling a fair and free market for U.S. companies with their competitors overseas. H.R. 4520 provides a comprehensive solution to ensure fair play, invigorating our economy by reducing taxes and creating new jobs. In addition to the important international provisions, the bill also includes a much-needed buyout for our tobacco farmers. Those of us who represent tobacco growing States have been working on a bipartisan basis for many years to end the depression-era price support system. Since the late 1990s, burley tobacco quotas have been cut in half, causing significant financial loss for family farmers who currently earn less than half the amount they could have earned only 5 years ago. A tobacco buyout is essential to protect their futures and to ensure the prosperity of many States and local economies, and Kentucky thanks you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for allowing me this time. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for allowing the swift consideration of a bill to honor a proud part of Kentucky's heritage, the founder of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe. This is but a small tribute to the legacy of Mr. Monroe. I along with my Kentucky colleagues in this Chamber am proud to name a post office in the community of Rosine, Kentucky, for him. The history of bluegrass music begins with Bill Monroe. His influence can be seen extensively in contemporary bluegrass, inspiring new generations of musicians and fans to appreciate his unique style. Today his musical art form is preserved through events like the annual Bluegrass Jamboree in Ohio County that show the fine tradition that makes bluegrass music synonymous with Kentucky.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay public tribute to a remarkable man of this House, the late William Huston Natcher, on the occasion of The Kentucky Museum and Library's opening of the William H. Natcher Political Collection, a compilation of artifacts from his storied life and career. Congressman Natcher served in this body, preceding me as representative of the Second District of Kentucky, from August l, 1953 until his death on March 29, 1994, having cast an astonishing 18,401 consecutive votes, a record most historians believe will never be matched. Through the years, he earned a reputation as an exceptionally hardworking and honest public servant, becoming one of the most highly- respected and influential members of congress in recent memory. As years passed and his congressional seniority increased, Natcher received several important committee appointments, namely within the powerful House Appropriations Committee. From 1961 to 1979, he chaired the Appropriations District of Columbia subcommittee, exercising control over spending in the Nation's capital. He later moved on to chair the subcommittee on labor, health and human services, influencing major legislation to advance education and promote public welfare throughout the 1980's. He was elected Chairman of the full House Appropriations Committee in 1992, a position he held until his death in 1994. Congressman Natcher became a legend not only for his effectiveness as a legislator but for his uncompromising dedication to the responsibilities of public service. Not only did he cast an unbroken chain of roll call votes over a 41-year career, he also exercised a sincere reverence for the opinions of his constituents, personally reading and responding to his own mail. Though he attained a position of national influence, he maintained a modest, responsible lifestyle, never accepting political contributions, driving himself to and from work in his aged Chevrolet. He was a model citizen-legislator worthy of an honored place in our Nation's history. After several years of processing, the William H. Natcher Political Collection will open to the public Friday, October 1, 2004, at the Kentucky Library and Museum on the campus of Western Kentucky University. The collection will display volumes of correspondences, photographs, awards and memorabilia, accumulated throughout Congressman Natcher's distinguished life and career. I would like to extend the collective gratitude of the U.S. House of Representatives to the Natcher Family and Western Kentucky University for assembling a collection that will allow future generations to appreciate and learn from Congressman Natcher's exceptional life.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, the tradition of Bluegrass music is something we can all be proud of. It is a very significant part of the culture that I cherish and is as much Kentucky as horses and basketball. There is one man we can all recognize for this pride, the father of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe. Mr. Monroe is the creator of a musical art form that is focused, and often composed, of the family. In 1939, he founded the legendary band the Blue Grass Boys, which at times included the guitarist Lester Flatt, banjo picker Earl Scruggs, fiddle player Chubby Wise, and his son, bass player James Monroe. In 1970, Mr. Monroe was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The following year, he was recognized for his songwriting craft and was entered into the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame. Mr. Monroe was also rightfully recognized with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Monroe's songs like ``Kentucky Waltz'' bring back pleasant memories of the past that we tell our children about. Because of the influence he has had on me and many others I am honored today to introduce legislation that names the post office in Rosine, KY after Mr. Monroe. This is one small way that I, as a Member of Congress, can recognize a lifelong idle who is a proud part of the lives of many Kentuckians.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my strong opposition to the Flake/Van Hollen Amendment offered during consideration of the FY05 Agriculture Appropriations bill. This amendment is counterproductive, potentially prohibiting USDA employees from administering a Federal tobacco buyout. The Flake/Van Hollen Amendment significantly compromises the legislative process by using an appropriations bill to legislate on an unrelated free-standing bill, aiming to reverse funding parameters on legislation that has yet to become law. The House passed version of H.R. 4520 calls for a quota buyout funded solely by tobacco tax revenue. Over $30 billion in combined Federal, State and Municipal tax revenue are raised each year from users of tobacco products. Utilizing these funds establishes an equitable buyout plan that would provide tobacco generated revenue for tobacco farmers. Those of us who represent tobacco growing states have been working on a bipartisan basis for over two years to end the depression-era price support system. The quota system, governing the price and supply of tobacco, has not been overhauled since 1986. Since the late 1990's, burley tobacco quotas have been cut in half, causing significant financial loss for family farmers who currently earn less than half the amount they could have earned only five years ago. A tobacco quota buyout is the best option Congress can provide to protect their futures and ensure the prosperity of state and local economies. With a tobacco reform package, farmers can move beyond tobacco. By ending the quota system, economists anticipate as many as two-thirds of current tobacco farmers would exit the business, without increasing taxes or the national debt. The Flake/Van Hollen Amendment attempts to impede the long-awaited relief American farmers need as part of Congress' effort to replace lost jobs and revitalize thousands of communities across the Nation who depend upon tobacco farming for their economic stability.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Absolutely.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. The gentleman is absolutely right.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I would like to reply to the gentleman that just spoke. I think he referred to this as Big Tobacco. Well, I am from Kentucky, and I can tell my colleagues that we are talking about small tobacco farms and family farms where men and women and their children get out in the fields every summer and try to eke out a living in the tobacco fields by the sweat of their brow. They have had to purchase a government program, they have had to buy a quota in order to grow tobacco or they could not grow it. They contributed through an assessment fee to pay for a price support program on their own. It was not from taxpayers; and since 1997 that quota program has been cut over half, and now it is pretty difficult for them to maintain that living on that family farm. It is the last thing that has allowed them to make a profit on their farm, if they made a profit. It was a program that allowed them to put their kids through college or to buy Christmas presents or to buy clothing for their kids. This is about small family farms in about seven to 10 States in this country. It is about an asset that they had to pay for that now is being taken away from them by the government; and we are eliminating something that, it is amazing to me, that for years I have heard we have got to get rid of this program, we have got to get rid of this program. Well, we are getting rid of it in this bill, and we are doing it by being fair with the tobacco farmers and the tobacco States and their families, not Big Tobacco, but that small farmer down in Kentucky and Tennessee and Virginia and Florida and Georgia and North Carolina and all those States that produce tobacco.

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support, my strong support for H.R. 4520, the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, and encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this important legislation. There are over 40,000 tobacco farms in Kentucky alone. Tobacco farming is the primary source of livelihood of tens of thousands of Americans supporting local economies in nine U.S. States. Every tobacco dollar is said to turn over 6 to 7 times in its community. Under current Federal policy, American farmers lose while farmers in countries like Brazil win. American tobacco farmers simply cannot respond to new market pressures and opportunities while beholden to an outdated government-controlled system. With this bill, farmers can move beyond tobacco. By ending the quota system, economists anticipate as many as two-thirds of current tobacco farmers would exit the business without increasing taxes or the national debt. Our obligation as Members of Congress is always to our constituents, not to special interest groups. Including a buy-out provision in H.R. 4520 provides long-awaited relief to American farmers, replacing lost jobs and revitalizing thousands of communities across the Nation who depend upon tobacco for their economic stability. I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) for his leadership and vision on this issue, understanding the plight of American farmers and working with a bipartisan coalition to include this important provision in the Jobs Creation bill. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 4520.