Scott McInnis

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this body of Congress to recognize a man who has served as a chief and mentor for many of Colorado's brave young firefighters. Bill Harding of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, will be leaving the Glenwood Springs Fire Department soon to pursue his career as the Fire Marshal for the Basalt and Rural Fire Department. In his 19 years of service in Glenwood Springs, Bill has been instrumental in stopping fires such as Storm King, and Coal Seam Fire. His knowledge, hard work and expertise have allowed him to occupy a variety of positions, such as battalion chief, training captain, EMT, and fire inspector. However, if you ask his co-workers, it is not Bill's knowledge that makes him a great firefighter. What makes him stand out is his ability to teach others. Bill has been instrumental in the training and development of firefighters all over Colorado. He was never too busy to help a firefighter who wanted to learn and his passion and determination brought out the best in everyone. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before this Congress and this nation to pay tribute to Chief Bill Harding. Bill's diligence, hard work, and positive attitude have helped develop a group of well-trained, hard- working individuals who protect our cities, homes, and families. Thank you, Bill, for your years of outstanding service.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker I rise today to pay tribute to the exemplary efforts of Bill Mashaw of Durango, Colorado. Bill has been awarded the Community Builder Award by the La Plata County Community Summit Coordinating Committee for going far beyond the call of duty. Today I wish to recognize the accomplishments and character of this great citizen before this body of Congress and this Nation. Bill has proven his commitment to the community by organizing the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program and through his involvement in the Community Development Corporation, which works on affordable housing projects. In addition, Bill has served with the Red Cross and the Salvation Army and currently serves on the board of directors for the Fort Lewis College Foundation. Bill also reaches out to children in the Durango area by helping with the D.A.R.E. program, and a number of other programs geared towards youth. Mr. Speaker, the work of Bill Mashaw has touched the lives of many in his community. It is with great pride that I stand to honor a man who has lived a life of love, service and passion. I add my voice to that of the Durango Area Chamber Resort Association, who has named Bill Mashaw both Citizen and Volunteer of The Year. Thank you, Bill, for your dedication.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this body of Congress today to recognize a dedicated educator. Rebecca Johnson has provided exemplary service as a teacher at Redlands Middle School in Grand Junction, Colorado, and it is my pleasure to honor the creativity that Rebecca has employed in touching the lives of her students and incorporating real life lessons in her classroom. Rebecca has used a number of tools and methods to bring her academic lessons to life for the children she teaches. She has reinforced her students' interest in reading, turning her classroom into a movie set based on a book they read together. Rebecca has also encouraged interest in the arts as she supervises murals painted at the school. Rebecca's creativity has surely impacted her students in a positive manner and assisted them in developing a life-long appreciation for learning. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before this body of Congress today to express my admiration and gratitude for Rebecca's service and devotion to teaching. Individuals like Rebecca symbolize the dedication and commitment necessary to impart strong values to future generations and allow them the opportunity to succeed. Rebecca has answered a noble call that demands the utmost admiration and respect. Thank you, Rebecca, for your dedication and selfless public service.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a successful businessman who has provided Western Colorado with years of service. Jeff Hancock has devoted much of the past ten years to serving as CEO of the Grand Junction-based organization, Rocky Mountain Nurses, Inc. Today, I would like to honor Jeff's accomplishments and the impact he has had on the Grand Junction community by expanding his prominent full-service home health-care firm. Rocky Mountain Nurses, Inc. was founded in 1995 as a small temporary nursing service. Through small business loans, it was recently able to add fifty new jobs in Mesa County. The firm is now located in a new corporate office, employs approximately 180 people, and has opened a medical equipment retail store. The expansion of Jeff's firm has allowed him to provide nursing services to more than 350 people per month. The U.S. Small Business Administration recently honored Jeff by selecting him as Colorado Small Business Person of the Year. He was one of 53 recipients of this award, and is currently in the running to be named as National Small Business Person of the Year. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before this body of Congress today to recognize the positive impact that Rocky Mountain Nurses, Inc. has had in my district. Jeff embodies the combination of ambition and altruism necessary to guide an expanding firm dedicated to serving the community. I would like to congratulate him on this prestigious award and the respect that he has earned from his peers. I wish Jeff all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Fred Cortese and thank him for his extraordinary contributions to his community and to his state. As a resident of Pueblo County, Colorado, Fred has dedicated himself to helping his community through his work as a law enforcement officer with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office. It is with pride that I pay tribute to Fred today for the tremendous accomplishments for which he is being recognized by the Pueblo County Sheriff's Department with the Medal of Valor for saving the lives of two men, asleep as their home burned around them. On February 22nd of this year, Fred and another officer, Jonathan Post, arrived at the scene of a house fire. Believing people to be trapped inside, they entered the burning building at great risk to their own lives. Inside, they found two men asleep, unaware of the imminent danger threatening them. Fred and Jonathan successfully persuaded the two residents to leave their burning home through a window, until one of them disregarded orders and reentered the house, necessitating another dangerous rescue. Fred then assisted Jonathan, who was suffering from smoke inhalation, out of the building. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Fred Cortese upon the receipt of the Medal of Valor from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Department. Fred's courage and selflessness serve as an inspiration to the citizens of Colorado, his peers and his country. With men like Fred in the Pueblo County Sheriff's Department, the citizens of Pueblo County can rest assured that their lives are and their neighborhoods are well protected. Congratulations, Fred, and good luck.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise before this body of Congress to pay tribute to Krystal Mize of Pueblo, Colorado, for her incredible achievement at the University of Southern Colorado. Krystal is the deserving recipient of the Threlkeld Prize for Excellence for her success in the field of psychology and today I would like to recognize her accomplishment before this nation. Krystal, a single mother of three boys, is not only dedicated to her education but also donates her time to work as a peer mentor, psychology lab assistant and tutor. Krystal is the true embodiment of the ``American Dream'', having overcome adversity to achieve the highest of goals. She has proven to her family, the community and most importantly, herself that she can succeed. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Krystal Mize's achievements before this body of Congress. It is the work of people like Krystal that makes the community of Pueblo strong. It is truly an honor to praise Krystal's hard work, and I wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the fifty-seven years of public service Don and Karyl DiPrince have given to the public schools of La Junta, Colorado. Don and Karyl have made tremendous contributions in the lives of generations of La Junta's school children, serving as teachers, mentors, coaches and role models. Don comes from a family of teachers and wanted to continue his family's tradition of helping youth, whereas Karyl decided to become a teacher because of her love of children. While Karyl has spent the majority of her career teaching fourth and fifth grades at West School, Don has spent many years teaching physical education and coaching baseball, basketball and football at the high school level. La Junta's children have benefited immensely from Don and Karyl's efforts both in and out of the classroom. Don and Karyl have shaped both the minds and the bodies of our children and we could not have entrusted this important responsibility to a more dedicated and beloved pair of public servants. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep respect for Don and Karyl that I congratulate them before this body of Congress and this nation upon their retirement from La Junta public school system. They have dedicated over half a century of their lives to the advancement of Colorado's youth and their influence will not be forgotten. Don and Karyl, thank you and good luck to you in all of your future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize one of my district's most prominent and accomplished agriculturalists. Bob Taylor is the founder of a farming dynasty that has flourished for the last fifty years in La Plata County, Colorado. In addition to a wealth of agricultural knowledge, his reputation precedes him throughout the county as a fair and honest man. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Bob for the contributions that he has made throughout Colorado. In spite of adverse conditions for area farmers, Bob has persevered throughout the last decade. He is consistently one of the top agricultural producers in the area and is always willing to offer advice to fellow agriculturalists. For his efforts, the Durango Area Chamber of Commerce has recently honored Bob as Agriculturalist of the Year. The community also recognizes Bob for his long history of service to his church and the surrounding community. He embarked upon his two-year Mormon Church Mission after high school and began his service to the nation when he joined the Army during World War II. Bob was elected to a County Board position in 1954, but declined to run again after his church's local ward summoned him to serve as Bishop. Bob continues to maintain his public involvement by serving on two water-district boards. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to recognize Bob Taylor before this body of Congress and this nation. He served his country with honor as a soldier, and he has excelled in his agricultural career ever since. I congratulate Bob on his recent award and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this body of Congress today to recognize a dedicated school counselor. Virginia Rockwell has served as a kindergarten through twelfth grade counselor for schools in Swink, Colorado for the past 21 years. For two decades, Virginia has provided enthusiastic service to our state's youth. Now, as she enters retirement, it is my pleasure to honor the character and achievements that have defined Virginia's dedicated career. While Virginia has always been reluctant to take credit for her students' achievements, she has turned out a remarkable number of accomplished scholars, athletes and dedicated citizens. However, some of the students of which she is most proud are those who had to work the hardest to graduate. Virginia's commitment to her students and caring touch have not gone unnoticed. She was the state multi-level Counselor of the Year and runner up nationally in the early 1990s. Having little experience with schools in rural areas when she started, Virginia has come to appreciate the support and unique relationships that she has made while working in Swink. Upon her retirement, Virginia's peers and students will certainly reciprocate the touch of sadness that she experiences when her students graduate. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before this Congress today to express my gratitude for Virginia Rockwell's many years of service. Individuals like Virginia symbolize the dedication and commitment necessary to impart strong values to our next generation and allow them the opportunity to succeed. Virginia Rockwell has answered a noble call that demands our admiration and respect. Thank you, Virginia, for your many years of dedicated and selfless public service.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute today to a woman and her dog who willingly give their time to provide assistance to others. Sue Purvis and her search dog Tasha of Crested Butte, Colorado volunteer to help locate victims of avalanches. In doing so, they help bring closure to victims' families and perform a public service to their community. During one week in March of this year, Sue and Tasha were called to the scene of two avalanches. The first trapped a 33-year-old man who had been caught in a slide while snowmobiling. Some 30 rescuers searched unsuccessfully for several hours before calling in Sue and Tasha. Together, working with another canine search team, they found the man's body within half an hour. A few days later, the pair received a call involving another snowmobiler. This time, the victim triggered a massive slide 10-feet deep and several hundred feet wide. The slide packed so much power that the debris field was 20 feet deep and contained chunks of snow and ice the size of a van. Despite working by themselves, Sue and Tasha found the man's body buried in six feet of snow about an hour later. Mr. Speaker, when Sue and Tasha venture off into the Colorado backcountry to search for victims, they often enter very unstable and dangerous snow conditions. Still, they do so willingly to help bring closure to the victim's families as quickly as possible. That unselfish spirit of neighbor-helping-neighbor is what helped make this country great, and I am truly honored to have the opportunity to honor Sue and her amazing search dog Tasha here before this body of Congress today.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Jonathan Post from Colorado's Pueblo County Sheriff's Department. Jonathan was recently recognized with his department's Medal of Valor. Although he has worked with the Department only a short time, he has already served with great distinction and I would like to acknowledge Jonathan's service before this body of Congress and this nation. In February of this year, Jonathan arrived at the scene of a fire where two men were trapped inside. Although the structure was in danger of collapse, Jonathan entered the building to save the two men alongside his fellow officer, Fred Cortese. Unfortunately, the men that Jonathan and Fred were attempting to rescue were not initially cooperative, being unaware of the imminent danger they faced. Even after successfully getting the men to safety through a window exit, it became necessary for Jonathan and Fred to rescue one of the men a second time when he disregarded their orders and rushed back into his burning home. Mr. Speaker, it is dedicated men and women like Jonathan that work selflessly to protect our rights and freedoms. I would like to draw attention to the further service he has shown to our country as a Marine Reservist serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I extend my gratitude to Jonathan for the heroism he has shown and for the great services he has performed for Colorado and for this Nation.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to recognize a local business that truly symbolizes the ``American Dream.'' Tony and Josephine Gagliano own and operate Gagliano's Italian Market, a Pueblo, Colorado fixture for the last 80 years. As the store has evolved over time, it continues to provide a distinct taste of home to numerous Puebloans. For this reason, I would like to pay tribute to the unique service that the Gagliano family has provided to the Pueblo Community. Joe and Carmela Gagliano, the market's founders, were washed out of their home in Pueblo's flood of 1921. They recovered from that flood and embarked on a venture in the grocery business. Joe and Carmela's market originally catered to the basic needs of the growing Italian- American community in Pueblo. Today, Gagliano's Italian Market sells products that range from Italian foods to Italian cookware, dishes, pasta makers, and novelty items. Josephine, Joe and Carmela's daughter, does most of the baking with help from her grown children and their families. The Gaglianos are proud to serve the Pueblo community and are enthusiastic about continuing this family tradition. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the Gagliano's story before this body of Congress and this nation. The Gaglianos provide a unique service to the community by honoring their family's culture and tradition. Their strength of spirit and dedication to the ``American Dream'' are the characteristics that have made this nation great. I congratulate them on their successes and wish them all the best with their future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to have the chance to come before this body with a story of great hope and inspiration. I am proud to stand before this body today to update you on the remarkable story of a family that I first brought to your attention back in October. Paul Linn Sr., Earl Cantor, Sarah Crispin, Don Cantor, Anna Mae Porter, and James Daugherty have traveled great distances and overcome many obstacles to reunite for the first time in 67 years. On Saturday, these fine individuals will meet face-to-face, reuniting as a family. Though they were separated from a young age, the dedication and love that they have shown in searching each other out is truly inspirational. I pay tribute to them again today for the dedication and resilience that has brought them together for this weekend of celebration. Eight months ago, I relayed to you the remarkable story of this family. It is a story of a family whose beginning was filled with pain, loss, and confusion. A story about a family suffering the ills of abandonment and tragedy. However, today I share with you a new story of a family reunited through the strength and persistence of the bonds of blood. What began as a random search for a replacement birth certificate ended in the reunification of brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers and countless grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to once again recognize Paul, Earl, Sarah, Don, Anna, and James as they celebrate family and enjoy the rewards of faith and persistence. As I said eight months ago before this body, their story is one of great satisfaction and inspiration. I wish them all the best as an old family is reunited in Colorado.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise before this body of Congress today to honor a historic landmark in my district. The incomparable Hotel Colorado celebrates its 110th birthday this weekend, and I am honored to inform my colleagues here today of some of the history behind this amazing facility. The Hotel Colorado was completed in 1893 at a cost of $850,000, an enormous sum of money in those days. It was one of the first hotels in the country to be completely outfitted with, what was at the time, an amazing new technology--electricity. The hotel included a great courtyard fountain modeled after the one at the 1889 World's Fair, shooting water 185 feet in the air, along with a grand staircase. Many famous figures stayed at the Hotel Colorado, including Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and William Howard Taft. A few infamous characters such as Al Capone, Diamond Jack Alterie, and Doc Holliday overnighted there too, as did singer Dinah Shore and legendary Titanic survivor Molly Brown. On a couple of occasions the revered hotel didn't function as a hotel at all. During World War II, the U.S. Navy used the hotel as a convalescent hospital. In 1961, when a local school was condemned, the school district converted the hotel into a junior high school. Mr. Speaker, the Hotel Colorado has a spot in both the national Register of Historic Places and the hearts of thousands of people worldwide who experienced its beauty and splendor. The hotel has a special place in my heart since I have an office located there. I am truly honored to recognize the Hotel Colorado and to offer my congratulations on 110 years of outstanding service.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I stand before this body of Congress to pay tribute to Robert Kraemelmeyer, who recently passed away after many years of public service. Robert devoted his life to serving his community and this devotion will not be forgotten Robert began his life of public service when he left college to join the Air Force and serve in World War II, stationed with the 423rd squadron--306 Bomb Group in England. After the war, Robert returned to the United States and moved to Golden, Colorado. While in Golden, Robert began a career as plumber, and dedicated much of his time to his community. He spent a lot of time as the Scout Master of Troop 48. Robert knew that he could make a difference in the lives of America's youth, so he purchased some property in the Williams Fork area, which he turned into a summer ranch for boys. He ran the ranch until his move to Montrose, Colorado in 1972. While in Montrose, Robert got involved in politics, and continued to serve his community as a city councilman and town mayor. While serving as the Mayor of Montrose, Robert worked hard to serve his community to the best of his ability. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this Congress and pay tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert Kreamelmeyer. Robert was an outstanding role model. I am saddened by the loss of such a good man, but am happy knowing he had such a positive impact on so many young people in his community. My thoughts and prayers go out to Robert's family and friends.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to recognize the many years of public service that Verna Barr of Austin, Colorado has given to the citizens of my state. I would like to take this time to pay tribute to Verna's selfless contributions to the well being of so many children, seniors, and others who have had the pleasure of her company and her kindness. Verna started her life of volunteer service at the age of eight, helping to print and fold her church's bulletin. Verna's mother, Florence Petersen, instilled in Verna a philosophy of life in which helping others has central importance. Over the years, Verna has volunteered her services to a number of worthy causes and projects, including preserving the history of Surface Creek Valley and Pioneer Town through disseminating information and indexing it for future generations. Verna has also spent a great deal of time and effort assisting the American Cancer Society, as well as the Colorado Cancer Society, from whom she has twice received official recognition for her assistance with Relay for Life. Even in her professional life, Verna's work continues the spirit of service. For seventeen and a half years Verna has worked with seniors at Horizon Health Care and Retirement Community, helping to enrich the lives of many with books, plays, music, and creative activities. Throughout this time, Verna's example has inspired scores of others to volunteer as well. Colorado is truly thankful. Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration that I recognize Verna Barr for her innumerable contributions to the quality of life for the citizens of Colorado. I am proud to represent Verna in this body of Congress, and wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude for her life of public service. Colorado is now a more beautiful place. Good luck, Verna, and best wishes on all of your future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor a lifelong educator from my district. John Giron has devoted his life to the students of Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado for 33 years. As he embarks on his retirement, it gives me great joy to inform this body about John's exemplary service to his community and this nation. John's family has deep roots in Trinidad, going back four generations to his great-grandfather who homesteaded in the area. His father worked as a miner, and John attended Trinidad High School where he excelled as a runner, becoming state champion in the half mile. Following graduation in 1957, John attended the University of Colorado on an athletic scholarship, but within weeks of starting school, his nation came calling. John received a draft notice in the mail and immediately gave up his scholarship to enlist in the Navy. The Navy trained John as an electrician and stationed him on two aircraft carriers before John returned to school, this time at Trinidad State Junior College and Adams State College. John earned a BA in education and later an MA in counseling, which led to a job as a guidance counselor and launched his career with Trinidad State Junior College. He later worked as the Director of Upward Bound, a program designed to help students successfully complete high school and college. John also served as the Director of Student Life before spending the last 15 years as the Dean of Students. John is deeply connected to the school. His entire family, including his wife, three children, and daughter-in-law, has graduated from Trinidad State Junior College. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before this body today to recognize John Giron, a man who has clearly demonstrated his commitment to our nation's youth. His counsel and leadership helped guide the academic careers of numerous young people, and I thank him for his outstanding service and wish John all the best in his retirement.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the life and memory of a veteran from my state, Lee M. Ancell, Sr. Lee passed away recently at the age of 88. As his family mourns their loss, I would like to take this moment to pay tribute to his life and accomplishments here today. Lee was a part of what many call the ``greatest generation,'' and when the United States entered World War II, he dutifully answered his nations call by enlisting in the Army Air Corp. After his discharge, Lee returned to marry Margaret Galloway. Lee and Margaret lived a long life together, as their marriage spanned 53 years. After moving to Cortez, Colorado, Lee became involved in a number of groups and organizations. He enjoyed membership in groups like the National Rifle Association, the VFW, and the National Water Well Drillers Association. He was also a respected leader of the 4-H Club. Lee spent his free time engaging in a variety of activities, including welding, hunting, fishing, and playing the guitar. A family man, Lee is survived by three children, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this Congress and this nation to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Lee Ancell, Sr. Lee was a solid contributor to his community and his nation, and I am grateful for his service. My thoughts and prayers go out to Lee's family and friends.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep admiration that I stand before this body of Congress to recognize the determination of fifteen year-old Mike Overturf of Olathe, Colorado, who is recovering from a recent stroke. The fortitude he has shown in the face of hardship, and the spirited manner with which he lives his life, are an inspiration to us all. Although having suffered a stroke just a few short months ago, Mike has remained active. He has been riding his dirt bike, playing drums, making plans to go fishing, and even completing a major project in school in order to catch up on his studies. Mike's teachers note his remarkable performance and the extraordinary attention he has devoted to his schoolwork. Throughout his ordeal, Mike has been a positive influence in the lives of his friends, family, and in his community. He has supported the performances of his school's band, even following them to Grand Junction for the Colorado West Band Festival. Mike plans to play with the band this spring and not only knows how to play the drums, but also the trombone, trumpet, saxophone, guitar, clarinet and flute. Mr. Speaker, Mike Overturf is an inspiration to us all. His determination to overcome adversity and his commitment to recovery says volumes about his character and desire to succeed. Mike, I join your friends, family and all of Olathe in wishing you a speedy recovery and success in all of your future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound sense of pride that I stand before this Congress and this Nation to pay tribute to an outstanding educator, coach and leader from my district. George Ryan of Grand Junction, Colorado spends most of his time with the student- athletes of the area, providing them with leadership, and direction. I am honored to recognize his accomplishments here today. George grew up interested in sports, and worked hard to receive a football scholarship to Youngstown College but enlisted in the armed forces to dutifully serve our country. One of the greatest things to happen to George was being stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado, where he met a young nursing trainee who would soon become his wife, Mary Ann. The couple soon wound up in Grand Junction, where George became a teacher and coach. George's interest in our Nation's youth led him to serve on the District 51 school board. After some time there, he shifted his volunteer time to athletics and began to officiate at track meets. He worked as an insurance claims adjuster during the day, so he could provide some financial stability for his family. His hard work on the track garnered George quite a reputation as a track official, where he worked 15 State Track Championships. George was so good at his job that he received an invitation to the NCAA Track Championships in 1982, working the hammer throw, discus, and the javelin. He enjoys officiating track meets and working with young people so much that it has become his number one hobby. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this Congress and this Nation to praise George Ryan. George has provided the city of Grand Junction with an exemplary model of community service. He has spent countless hours helping children engage in sports, while providing them with a role model they can look up to and admire. Thank you, George, for your years of service.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a solemn heart that I rise today to pay tribute to the life of an outstanding young woman with a desire to serve her country. Kathryn Giomi planned to spend her life in the service of her nation, but her life was tragically taken in an auto accident before she could live her dream. As her loved ones mourn her passing, I would like to pay tribute to her memory. Kathryn, who enjoyed cooking, listening to big band music, and dancing, was born in San Jose, California where she graduated from high school three years ago. Last year, Kathryn moved to Colorado where she worked in a restaurant and theater while she waited for her chance to serve in the United States Air Force as a military police officer. Kathryn was proficient in Spanish, spoke some Italian and Farsi, and hoped for an assignment at Aviano Air Force Base in Italy, where she could improve the Italian language skills she learned from her family. Kathryn was slated to leave for basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio in June. Kathryn is survived by her mother Marguerite Ellen Rose, her father Ron Giomi, her sister Heather Giomi-Beck, her brothers Ryan and Vincent Giomi, two nephews and a niece. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. Mr. Speaker, it is people like Kathryn, who understand the price of freedom and have answered the call to service, who have helped to make America what it is today. Kathryn would have made a fantastic member of our armed forces, and our nation is appreciative of her willingness to serve. She will be missed by her family, friends, and her country.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to address the preceding comments from the gentleman from New York in regards to WorldCom. His remarks are right on point. I would urge the gentleman to look even further at the WorldCom situation and take a look at the $27 million house that Scott Sullivan has off Florida, take a look at Bernie Ebbers and the money that guy has put into this. That is a clear case of not just corporate fraud but criminal fraud. Any one of us, any normal citizen in the United States, in my opinion, would have already been put into prison having committed the kind of fraud that cost tens of thousands of people their jobs at WorldCom and perhaps one of the biggest bookkeeping frauds in the history of corporate America. So I think that the gentleman from the other side of the aisle, his comments are in order. I want to address some of the other comments. For the last hour or so, only the Democrats have been speaking on the floor, and their remarks time after time after time have been very partisan, very political, and full of a lot of rhetoric. Although it is not the main topic of my discussion this evening, I think it is important that at least some rebuttal be put into the record so that the Democratic, which was led off by the minority leader over there, that these partisan remarks, which as I said earlier were full of rhetoric and, in my opinion, inaccuracies, that these remarks do not go into the Record without some type of clarification or at least hearing from the other side. Let me begin with the minority leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), and her remarks. Her remarks are the Democrats look after the children in this country. As long as I have served in politics, as long as I have served in elected office, I have yet to find a Republican or a Democrat or an unaffiliated officeholder that does not care about children, and for the minority leader to stand up here and try and claim a monopoly, that only the Democrats care about children, is nothing but pure partisan politics. In fact, I think it is fundamentally unfair to play off this type of, in essence, using the children to forward a political point that the Democratic Party wants to make. What this is, that only the Democrats care about children, what this effort by the minority leader is is simple spin, S-P-I-N. We can tell we are coming up on a Presidential election. All we have to do is listen to some of these 5-minute comments. All it is is spin, spin, spin, not debate or not discussion as to how to move this country in a positive forward manner, but clearly focused on how to defeat President George W. Bush in this upcoming election. It is fundamentally unfair to stand at this podium and say that any of our colleagues, whether they are Democrat or Republican, any of our colleagues are against the children, or only one side of the aisle down here cares about the children. I would say, and I think my comments are 100 percent accurate, that every woman, every man, Congressman, every Republican, and I think we may have one unaffiliated in these Chambers, every one of us cares about the children, and it is unfair in a debate to continue to try and put the children in front of them as kind of a screen to push another political point. And I wish the minority leader would get off that and come back here and debate and discuss the substance of the issue instead of standing up here in front of a microphone, in front of us, and saying only the Democrats care about the children, only the Democrats will help the children, and the remarks go on from there. We have got the gentleman from Texas, from San Antonio, a very fine gentleman, a good guy, but he gets a little exaggerated when he says that the Republicans, they are not investing in the future generation; only the Democrats are worried about investing in the future generation. Give me a break. There are Members on both sides of the aisle back here in the Nation's Capital who care very, very much about the future generation of this country. In fact, I would say that by far, if not unanimously, I would say by far the huge majority, whether they are Republican or whether they are Democrat, care about the future of this country. And for the Democrats to stand up simply because they know nobody is going to debate them, there is nobody to rebut their comments, they have been up here 1 hour nonstop, nonrebutted, that is why they think it is safe to stand up here and say it is only the Democrats who care about the future generation of this country, only the Democrats care about the children of this country. Even to go further, the gentleman makes the remarks, the working families are left out. So the Democrats stand up for the working families. The working families are out of this tax cut. My gosh, the majority of working families in this country are the ones who are the primary beneficiaries of this tax cut. There are working families above $20,000 income. I think the gentleman believes that in his mind the only working families, or at least his comments seem to portray is that the only ``working families'' in this country are the families that make less than $20,000 or make less than $10,000 a year. I want to tell the gentleman and tell him directly, I have got a lot of families where both the man and the wife, both of them are working, and they have happen to make $40,000 a year, and they would take deep offense by the fact that they work 50 hours a week, both of them, the one couple I am thinking of, and the gentleman would stand up here and say, well, that is not the working families. Apparently, the working families are those who make $20,000 and less a year. There are a lot of people, regardless of income in this country, there are lots of people that are working families. In fact, the majority of families in this country are working families, and for the Democrats to stand up here, again only because they are not rebutted, only because there is nobody to say the other side of the story, they stand up here and make it sound like they are the only ones that stand for ``working families'' and the only working families in this country are those in the low-income bracket. Whether it is low-income income or upper-low-income or lower-medium- income or medium-high-income or higher-medium-income, whatever classification, I know families, in fact almost all the families I know in any of those income brackets, are hardworking families. It is not a sin in this country, and it is not disrespectful in this country, and it is not ignoring the future generations of this country for us to pass legislation that benefits people that make more than $20,000 a year. There are a lot making $40,000 a year; and in a family of say two or three kids, that is not a lot of money. That money is stretched very, very thin. Just because of the fact that you have kids and you and your wife both work and you only manage to bring down $40,000 a year does not mean you should be classified by the Democrats as the wealthy class in our economy. The only reason I can figure out why these remarks were made is because they did not think that somebody on the other side of the aisle was going to be sitting in the Chamber, as I was listening, to these remarks, and they thought they were going to go into this Congressional Record completely unrebutted. We have kind of a doctrine of fairness around here. Let us talk about the facts. They may be against the tax cut, so just say you are against the tax cut. Do not come out to the House floor and say the Republicans, because of the tax cut, do not care about working families. The Republicans, because of the tax cut, it means that only the Democrats care about the children of this country, as the minority leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), said at the beginning of her remarks. There ought to be a sense of fairness here, and I want to talk for a few minutes about what we looked at on that tax cut, what is important about that tax cut; and I think when we discuss the reason for the tax cut, we have to take a look at where we are. We have an economy that is right on the edge. It is not an economy that is in a depression, but it is an economy where we are suffering from higher unemployment. By the way, although an administration alone does not have enough control, in my opinion, to take an economy out of a recession or put it into a recession, the fact is this economy, which goes up and down, this economy always cycles. There is the old theory, everything that goes up has to come down. This economy began its downward cycle under the previous Democratic administration. That is not to say that administration drove it in because the economy was also going in an upswing during a Democratic administration. It does say, however, we have to face these cycles. If we look at economic history, especially with specific tax cuts, it has been proven very effective as a tool to take you out of the downturn of the economic cycle; tax cuts are a stimulus to put you in the upturn. However, the tax cuts have to be focused. We do not want to go out and create a welfare program. The reason that bill did not include income tax cuts for people that did not pay income taxes is because that is a welfare program. We are focusing on the people who pay taxes. If you do not pay taxes, you should not get an income tax rebate or refund or credit. That does not mean that they should not get some kind of assistance. That is up to you to vote whether you want to provide that assistance or not; but what we are trying to do with this economy, and by the way, there are a lot of people on the Democratic side that want this economy to improve regardless of who gets credit for it. We want these people back to work. One of the ways to do it is to put in a very targeted tax cut. This tax cut is a lot like jumping a car with a dead battery. Some Members would argue that to be fair to the car, you would take the jumper cables and attach them to the bumpers, attach the jumper cables to the door handles, make sure all of the car got a jump off the battery. The fact is you need to target a specific part of the car. You need to put the jolt, the shock, the charge on the battery. So you put the jumper cables on the battery. If you get the battery started, the whole car benefits and moves along. It is the same thing here. This tax cut was designed, for example, through the capital gains reduction. Now in our country, it is not just the wealthiest people of this economy who benefit from a tax cut on capital gains. There are a lot of people out there, lots of people out there who benefit from capital gains reduction. But the biggest benefit from reducing the capital gains taxation is the economy as a whole, the society as a whole. If you take a look at economic history from an economic historical perspective, every time the government has reduced the capital gains taxation rate, you have seen an up-tick in the economy. So it is true that only people who have capital assets and sell them with a capital long-term gain may directly benefit from that reduction. That benefit to that targeted area benefits the economic picture as a whole. That is very, very important here. If you take a look at the various elements of that tax cut, the dividends, for example, first of all, you should have a tax system. Your Tax Code should be fair. It is not fair to tax a person with double taxation. Dividend taxation is a double taxation. Not even the most liberal of the Democrats argue that it was not double taxation. However, the most liberal of the Members of Congress argue that is okay because mainly the people above $26,000 a year can afford to be double taxed. Remember, anytime you fund one of these liberal programs that some of these people want to fund, anytime you give money to somebody that is not working, it is a transfer. The government does not create wealth. The people that create wealth are the people that are working and exchanging their labor for some kind of a product, the creative aspect of it. All the government does is act as a transfer agent. For example, to give money to people that do not work, and there are a number of people that do not work that our society thinks have a legitimate case for not working and believes that the working people should support; and as you know, there are a lot of people that ought to be working and are not, by their choice they are not working, but the issue here is anytime you give money to people who are not working, you have to take it from people who are working. It is the same thing with this tax credit. When you take the money from people or give money that are not paying taxes, give them a refund or some kind of credit rebate, you are taking it from people who do pay the taxes. My point in bringing this up is that is okay for a while, but you better be able to look right in the eye of the taxpayer or look in the eye of the person that is working and be able to explain to him legitimately why you are going to take money from those people, look right at them and say you are working, so I am going to take money from you and give it to this person over here who is not working. Now when you do that, the average Joe or the average Jane over there that is working, and you say I am going to take some of your money that you have worked hard for and I am going to give it to person A over here who is not working, the first legitimate question that the working Joe or working Jane is going to say is, why are you giving them the money when they are not working? You might say, well, they are physically handicapped or mentally handicapped. They are not capable of working. You can expect the working Joe or working Jane is going to say that is a legitimate reason. Our society ought to help where we can with that kind of cause. But when you go to working Jane and working Joe and say, look, we are going to take money from you because you are working, and we are going to give it to somebody over here who is not working, and they say why are they not working, and you say, well, because they have chosen not to work, then you begin to see problems. It does not work. That is why with this tax cut what we are trying to do is target it. It is a good plan. It alone will not turn the economy in that up-cycle; but I feel, I already feel confidence that the economy is beginning to recover. Our stock market is showing some strength. The fact is that the people on the dividends, the capital gains, speeding up the tax brackets, the caps on the tax brackets which will help tens of millions of taxpayers in this country, by doing that you are getting the battery jumped and the car moves as a whole. That is the issue here. We want this economy to benefit as a whole. This tax cut will allow that to happen. Now, let me tell you that a few of the people who have opposed this, for example the minority leader who continually stands up here and spins and bashes this tax cut and bashes the policies of the tax cut, what is their answer? You cannot just sit back and complain. You cannot just sit back and do nothing. I have always believed that at some point you have to quit talking and quit complaining; and at some point you have to get up and lead or get out of the way. I think that this shows good leadership. There was lots of negotiation that went on with this tax cut. There was lots of effort that went into this tax cut. As I said, while I do not think this tax cut alone is going to lift this economy into that up-cycle, I think it is an important element of moving this economy towards that up-cycle. You combine that, and hopefully we can get our fuel costs under control, although right now we face a natural gas shortage, a pretty significant natural gas shortage around this country, but if we can keep oil supplies reasonable and a hand on unemployment, consumer confidence is very, very critical, if you can get consumer confidence to stay high so people go out and buy and if you can effectively, through leadership of the interest rate by the Feds, if you can keep the deflation threats from occurring, you are going to see this economy improve. But it is a fragile economy. We are trying to do something to help it. Because you stand up and are trying to help this economy recover does not mean that you care less about children. It does not mean that the only working families in this country, as expressed by some of the Democrats this evening, are those people that earn less than $26,000 a year. That is not what it means. It means that we recognize that working families are spread all over America; that if you can benefit those working families all over the income brackets, those people who pay income taxes, those people who are out there, and mind you, we will hear the comment, and I heard it this evening, that they do pay these taxes, and you can vote one way or the other on that. You ought to be accurate about your facts. They do not pay Federal income taxes. The group that they are talking about getting a rebate for, they do not pay Federal income taxes. They do pay State income taxes, sales tax, gasoline tax and 7.5 percent or 7.6 percent on their Social Security; but they do not pay Federal income tax. What the minority leader is saying and what some of the Democrats are spinning up here, they are making it sound as if these people do pay Federal income tax and for some reason just because they are poor, they are being cut out of the tax cut. That is not accurate. That is a blatant, inaccurate statement. Now, whether you vote to give these people a rebate or not, the fact is that anybody that enters this debate ought to acknowledge up front that the issue is not whether or not they pay income taxes because they do not pay Federal income taxes in that income bracket. The issue is then do you give them money, even though they do not pay, do you give them a tax rebate, even though they do not pay taxes, or should you call that program some other type of welfare program and go ahead and transfer it under that type of description. But to attack the entire tax cut, to stand up here and say that the only working families happen to be those families under $26,000 or $20,000 a year, to stand up here and attack the tax cut under the guise of protecting the children and that the Democrats are the only ones that protect the children is a misleading effort, and it is inaccurate. On this floor we ought to at least debate on a fair basis. If you take a look at this tax cut, it is not perfect; but so far nobody else has come up with a better solution. It is interesting to hear these people talk about the Federal deficit. Let me say something about the U.S. Congress. I think it would be interesting for every Member that talks about how terrible the Federal deficit is, I think it would be interesting to look at their bills that they have introduced and see what their bills do to that deficit. Those people that stand up here and criticize, for example, as they have done this evening, criticize the Republicans on the deficit, whoever does that criticism, take a look and see what their votes look like, what programs they vote for and what those programs have done to the deficit. It is funny how people vote one way and speak another way. When I first got elected to office, somebody said, ``The best trick is to vote liberal in Washington and speak conservative in your home district.'' I do not believe we ought to be running our business that way. I think we ought to be as, what was it, McCain that had straight talk? Let's talk it straight. This tax cut is targeted. This tax cut is targeted to benefit the entire economy. This tax cut is targeted to move all of us forward, so that our unemployment can go down, so that our stock market can go up, so that our consumer confidence can go up, so that the interest rate, the prime rate, can stay down. That is what we have in our radar. That is what we are trying to accomplish. It should not be attacked by a minority leader who stands up here and says, well, it's about the children and the Republicans don't care about the children, and only the Democrats care about the children. Or from the gentleman from Texas that says, only the Democrats care about the future generations of this country. Give me a break. Let me summarize these remarks by saying obviously everybody in this room, even the ones I most ardently disagree with, I would never say they do not care about the children. I have never met a person in elective office, I have never met an elected officeholder that really does not care about children or would do something to hurt the children. I have never met them. I have never met one officeholder in my career that did not care about future generations. I do not care what their party affiliation is. And to stand up here and use those kind of statements, you talk about spin, you talk about political rhetoric, and that is the definition of it. I want to address another subject that I am hearing a lot about recently on the news. First of all, let me give you a little background. I used to be a police officer. When I went to the police academy, we used to have a training exercise, I guess you would call it, where they would show a movie on a big screen, and we used wax bullets. We had wax bullets in our weapons, our service weapons. On the movie screen, the training episode was called ``Shoot or Don't Shoot.'' They would have different instances. It was up to you to make a determination. The film would depict somebody, for example, coming out from a trash can with a weapon. It was up to you within 1 or 2 seconds to decide whether that person really was a threat and whether you needed to draw your service weapon and, even more serious, whether you should discharge your service weapon, and then you would fire your wax bullet and it would measure, of course, on this big screen whether or not you hit the suspect and saved somebody. It is tough to make that decision. There were a number of times where the person would aim a gun at you and it would be a toy gun but it looked like a real gun, it would be a squirt gun or something, and you had to make the decision as the police officer, do I draw and shoot? On a lot of different occasions, myself included, we shot and then we found out that the person on the film actually, like I said, had a water gun or a toy gun. What happened right after that, after you would do that, then more likely than not the next person would have what looked like a nonthreat, not a serious threat and something that looked obviously like a toy gun and it would be a real gun, so you would hesitate and the person on the film would go boom-boom, and all of a sudden you got docked points because they just shot you. My point in talking about this training film is to move into this discussion of weapons of mass destruction. We have had incidents in the past where a police officer has shot a suspect and after they got control of the suspect and they grab the weapon, after they shoot the suspect, let us say in the example they kill the suspect, the police officer does, and the investigating team seizes the weapon from the suspect and they find out the weapon did not have any bullets in it. There are always people that with hindsight say, why did that police officer shoot old Joey over there? Sure, Joey pointed a gun at him, but he didn't have any bullets in it. Why did the cops have to shoot him? He didn't have any bullets in that gun. Somehow they think that the police officers had 20/20 vision or Superman's vision so that they could see right through the weapon and determine that there were no bullets in there. That is the same thing on these weapons of mass destruction. All of a sudden we have weapons experts, kind of the Blame America First crowd. We are starting to see them. Oh, my gosh, the United States of America has not found these weapons of mass destruction, so they can't justify this war. How convenient it is that these very people continue to ignore what an evil man Saddam Hussein was. Just take a look at what he did to half his population. The women in Iraq, take a look; if we just had one incident like that in this country, understandably and justifiably, this country would be enraged that a woman was treated that way as an American citizen in the United States. But yet this crowd, the Blame America First crowd, ignores all of that. They are putting on blinders. They are putting on blinders about the mass graves. They are putting on blinders about the fact that Saddam Hussein on a number of occasions, of which I will show you here in just a moment, used weapons of mass destruction to kill his own citizens. In this country at Kent State when our National Guardsmen shot, I think they shot and killed four students who were protesting back in the sixties or seventies, this country went ballistic. What do you mean our own military people killed our own citizens? That is four. Yet the Blame America First crowd out there is making Saddam Hussein look like somewhat of a Robin Hood, ignoring the fact that while maybe he did not have these weapons of mass destruction or at least that we have not found any yet, that we ought to focus entirely on the gun that did not have bullets in it, although it was pointed at us, and criticize us for that instead of taking a look at the history of that evil man. This guy, Saddam Hussein, even if we do not find weapons of mass destruction, and, by the way, it is Saddam Hussein, I am going to also show you a poster on that, the weapons of mass destruction that he himself admitted that he had. He admitted they had them. But for the sake of argument here, let us say that Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. Take a look at what the proof of the pudding is. Take a look at what he did to his own citizens. By the way, on this particular poster to my left, these murders were accomplished with weapons of mass destruction. In the history, we know, for example, going back to my police officer incident, that the guy that is pointing the gun at us on a number of occasions used that gun to kill people. So it is a natural and justifiable thought process to believe that when this guy points a gun at you, considering his history that he used a gun repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly, it is a logical thought process that that gun is loaded and he is going to use it on you. Take a look at this. In 1983, mustard gas killed about 100 people. Mustard gas in 1983 killed 3,000. These are his own citizens, by the way. These are all confirmed. In 1984, 2,500, mustard gas. In 1985, mustard gas 3,000. I am skipping down here. Right down here, mustard gas 5,000. In 1987 mustard gas, 3,000. In 1988, mustard gas and nerve agents, hundreds of people, Iranians and Kurds. This is a country that used these type of weapons when they were at war with Iran. So sure, maybe we have not gotten our hands on these weapons yet, but the fact is there is a long history, a long history of the country of Iraq using these types of weapons. It is very clearly justified for you to expect, in fact I think you would be negligent not to suspect, that Saddam Hussein and his lieutenants had these type of weapons. Some are saying, ``Well, it's the Republicans. It's George W. Bush. He's a cowboy.'' Let me say to you, first of all, being a cowboy out in the West is kind of an honorable title. We do not think it is a degrading remark. We kind of look at it in a romantic fashion. But back here some people think being a cowboy is a negative term. They say, ``It must be George W. Bush. He's just a cowboy. He's the one that has overstated the threat of Saddam Hussein. He's the one that took this Nation into war and it's an exaggerated threat.'' Let me show you what the leader of the Democratic Party says about it. Again, the poster to my left. President Bill Clinton. President Clinton on Saddam's threat. He made these remarks, this is an exact quote, on February 18, 1998. This is what Bill Clinton says: What if Saddam Hussein fails to comply--this is with the inspection process-- and we fail to act? What if Saddam Hussein fails to comply and we fail to act? Or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him, speaking of Saddam, yet more opportunities to develop his program of weapons of mass destruction and continue to ignore the solemn commitments that he made? Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its will. He will then conclude that he can go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastation and destruction. Let me point out, on the next poster, these are the weapons of mass destruction that the country of Iraq admitted in documents that they submitted to the United Nations, or to the international community, these were weapons that they admitted that they had at some point in time. Mustard gas, 2,850 tons. All you need, by the way, of mustard gas is about a teaspoonful and you got real problems on your hands. This is about 3,000 tons of mustard gas. Not what George W. Bush or Dick Cheney or Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice or our commanders, our chief of staff over there, this is not what they said Iraq had, this is what Iraq says Iraq had. Sarin, nerve gas, 795 tons. All you need is a little whiff of that Sarin and you're a goner. VX, nerve gas, 3.9 tons. Tabun, nerve agent, 210 tons. Anthrax, 25,000 tons. We saw in this country what happened with just a few little crumbs, a few little particles of anthrax stuck in an envelope. We saw what happened in this country with that. Iraq, by their own admission again, not a statement made by our leadership in this country but an admission made by the country of Iraq, they had 25,000 tons of that stuff. Uranium, 400 tons; plutonium, 6 grams. Six grams does not sound like a lot but that is exactly what you need to create a heck of a nuclear weapon. My point this evening with you is to say it is a cheap shot, for lack of a better word, it is a cheap shot, it is a comment made from that group of people, that Blame America First, the crowd that partially is driven for political self-interest, the crowd who believes that America can never do right, the crowd who constantly criticizes America, it is that Blame America First crowd whose voice has become louder and louder over the last 2 weeks about the fact that weapons of mass destruction have not been found. My point tonight is not to address that crowd. You can talk until you are blue in the face and you will never convince the Blame America First crowd that America is anything but the devil itself. You are not going to get them. They will claim they are good Americans, they will claim that they have this patriotism and their patriotism is demonstrated by the fact that they have enough guts to stand up and cry about America's sins and apologize for this country around the world and talk about how horrible we are and this and that, but the fact is this: This country, the leadership of this Nation, the Republican President George W. Bush, the Democrat President Bill Clinton, all knew and had a history of weapons of mass destruction's usage in the country of Iraq. Again coming back to my example, what has happened here so far, the investigation shows, we had a suspect. That suspect, and I am trying to draw a comparison here, that suspect had a gun pointed at us. The gun was pointed at us. That suspect had a history, like Iraq did, had a history of murder, had a history of using that gun. That suspect had a history of admitting that he had used that gun to kill people. That is a suspect that is looking at us with a gun. So before that suspect, Saddam Hussein, could use that gun against us, we fired first. In the investigation it may appear, and I say ``may'' because we have only been in Iraq 7 or 8 weeks under this kind of a look for a search for weapons of mass destruction, it may occur to us or may end up being a result, and certainly at this point, the gun appears not to have had bullets in it. So, what happens? The Blame America First crowd cannot wait to get out on the street and say you should have never shot him. Despite the fact he pointed a gun at you, somehow you should have had superior information that that gun did not have bullets in it, despite the history of the person holding the gun. This Nation has an absolute right to go out there and preempt a threat. We do not have a right for preemption; we actually have an obligation for preemption. Do you think we say to our police officers in any community in this country that you cannot discharge your service weapon until you are fired upon first, you have to be shot first before you are allowed to discharge that weapon? No. What we say to our officers in law enforcement is we expect you to go out there; and if a threat exists, one, we want you to be as accurate as you can possibly be as to whether or not a threat exists; but if a threat does exist, it is your job, it is your obligation, and we expect you to carry out your duty to stop that threat. That is exactly what Bill Clinton was talking about when he was President of the United States, and that is exactly what George W. Bush did now that he is President of the United States. So I hope as colleagues begin to hear this rhetoric about we have not found any weapons of mass destruction, so blame the United States, forget the fact the United States has brought to the Iraqi people things they have never seen in their entire lives. Forget the fact that the women in Iraq are now going to have rights, are going to be treated as individuals over there. Forget the fact that the United States of America has stopped the mass murders. Forget the fact that the United States of America, if there are weapons of mass destruction, will find those weapons of mass destruction and will destroy those weapons of mass destruction. All of that is ignored by the people that I call Blame America First. What they are trying to do is hitch their horse to this one pole; and that pole is, ha, ha, ha, you have not found a weapon of mass destruction, so everything you have told us is a lie. This is exaggerated. We should have never done this. They intentionally, not by accident, but they intentionally ignore the historical facts of the mass murders that that guy has done. They ignore the admissions by Saddam Hussein's country of the weapons of mass destruction that they did possess in the past. They ignore all that, because they do not want to listen to the facts. They do not want the facts to enter this picture. What they want to do is use this as a spin, either in their continued all-out effort to blame America first, or in a spin for some type of political purpose or self-serving political motive, especially in light of the fact that we have a Presidential election coming up here in the next year or so. What I am asking my colleagues to do is stand behind America. Stand strong with America. When that suspect pointed a gun at us, we had every right to discharge our weapon; and we had a right to discharge our weapon first. We knew the history of that individual. To the best of our knowledge, we believed that individual had bullets in his gun. We could not see in the gun, but the gun was pointed at us, and we do not feel and we should stand by this position that we do not think it is necessary we get shot at first, like we did on September 11. Let me tell you, after September 11, of course, the Blame America First crowd came out and said, oh, America's intelligence failed. It is because America does not do enough for the poor in the world and America is pompous and America does not share its wealth and America enjoys too much of the good things and America has too much food. That is why September 11 came about. The Blame America crowd came in. That is exactly what would have happened if Iraq, by the way, would have shot first, had they used a weapon of mass destruction against the free world. Blame America would have come out and said where was George W. Bush? Where was President Bill Clinton? When they should have known about this, why did they not know about it? So no matter what you do, you are going to have the Blame America First crowd out there criticizing you. But the fact here is we should put them aside. What we need to make sure is that the average American out there understands that this country is a good country. This country did what it believed was in the best interests, not just of itself, but in the best interests of many, many innocent Iraqi citizens. This country did what we thought was in the best interests of many, many citizens who were murdered and so on in Afghanistan. We did what we thought was best for the world. It is this country that has led the world in standing up when the going gets tough. It is the United States of America that is the first one out of the foxhole. And it is a little tough, when you are the first one out of the foxhole, you are standing on the battlefield taking the bullets, and somebody hiding in the foxhole behind you is saying, I told you so. You should not be out there. That is kind of how I feel about some of this criticism. America has no need to apologize. The United States of America has done a lot of good for a lot of people for a lot of countries for a lot of history for its entire history. Oh, sure, we got a blooper here and there. But the fact is, you can stack America up, I will stack America up against any other country in the history of the world. Not just in the history of the United States, but I will stack America up against any other country in the history of the world; and defy you to show me a country that even comes close to doing the good that this Nation has done. The United States of America does not have to apologize for anything that we have done. What we have done was for a just cause. What we have done, in my opinion, was the right thing. I think the majority of Americans believe in that.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Hilda Vaughan, an exceptional individual who has selflessly devoted her time and energy to the betterment of this nation. I applaud her outstanding character, and her desire to support and educate her community. Hilda demonstrates impressive qualities worthy of such praise, and today we honor her retirement as a salute to a job well done. Hilda was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, and spent her adolescent years thirsting for knowledge. After graduating from Rustburg High School in Rustburg, Virginia, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lynchburg College, and married her beloved husband, Ted Vaughan. Hilda moved to Silt, Colorado, and served her community well, by holding a number of clerical, secretarial, and accounting positions. Additionally, Hilda achieved her EMT-B certification and assisted the Grand Valley Fire Protection District. Hilda's attention to detail, together with her unwavering determination, led her to become and perform as an outstanding substitute teacher and librarian for 23 years. As a student teacher in Lynchburg, she educated herself to become a mentor as well as a teacher. Her first substitute teaching position was in the RE-2 School District, in Rifle, Colorado. Through her experiences in different geographic areas and districts, Hilda expanded her vast knowledge and wisdom, and became an excellent asset to every school district she served. Today we admire a woman who selflessly donated her time and efforts to upholding the structure of her community. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride I honor such an outstanding individual before this body of Congress and this nation. Hilda contributed so much, and she was so thoughtful, words will never express our appreciation to her. Hilda, thank you for your hard work in our country, and I anticipate great achievements from you in the future.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to stand before this body of Congress today to pay tribute to an individual who has dedicated his life to protecting the American public. Lonnie Westphal of Lakespur, Colorado first donned the badge of a Colorado State Patrolman 29 years ago. This week he will retire from the force after an impressive career in which he rose in the ranks from a state trooper to the head of the Colorado State Patrol. Chief Westphal is one of those special people in our society who willingly put themselves in harm's way to protect the public. He knew he would never get rich in his chosen profession, but he also knew that some things, such as keeping our families out of harm's way, come with rewards not measured by monetary means. Thus, it is not surprising that Chief Westphal distinguished himself so honorably by serving on numerous boards such as the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the State Patrol Protective Association, and many more. Mr. Speaker, our nation owes a great debt to Chief Westphal and all brave heroes like him who keep the peace at home. Because of his service, the state of Colorado is a better and safer place to live. I thank Chief Westphal for his service to his community, the State of Colorado, and this nation. All the best to you, Lonnie; enjoy your retirement!

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I stand before this body of Congress today to praise a man who has volunteered his time to help solve the mystery behind the unfortunate explosion of the space shuttle Columbia. This event was a tragic moment in our nation's history, but I am proud to know that our country and its citizens are making every effort to ensure the future safety of our brave astronauts. Brad Kohrmann, a volunteer fire fighter from Eagle, Colorado, searched the state of Texas for debris from the shuttle in hopes of obtaining clues into this mysterious catastrophe. Brad became part of an 18-person team designed and put together by the Forest Service to recover shuttle debris. Brad selflessly left his home and family to help since he understood that a firefighter's training would be of use to NASA in their search. Brad has worked to hone his attention to detail, which made him an ideal candidate for the search party. Brad's team found many pieces from the shuttle; the biggest was a chunk of the bulkhead, which was four feet long and over six feet wide. The smallest piece they found was no bigger than a quarter inch. When a piece was discovered, the recovery team would mark the area, and transmit the coordinates to a Global Positioning Satellite. Brad estimated that his team walked about eight miles a day, covering farm country, creeks, and some swampland. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to speak before this Congress to highlight the contributions of Brad Kohrmann. He has sacrificed to assure the future safety of our astronauts as we lead the world in exploring the heavens. His actions exemplify the character and pride great Americans show in times of need by putting their country first. Thank you, Brad, for your work. You have done your country a tremendous service.