Scott McInnis

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate an outstanding individual from Colorado whose hard work and dedication has produced awards and accolades throughout her medical field. Donna Fritz, a nurse from Pueblo, Colorado, has just received a high honor from the medical community as she is the recipient of the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Human Caring. The award is presented on behalf of the University of Colorado and the Southeastern Colorado Health Education Center. I am honored to bring forth her accomplishments before this body of Congress and this nation. Donna's official title is Oncology Nurse/Clinical Specialist and she specializes in caring for victims of cancer. Since she was a child, she had an interest in assisting cancer patients sparked by her father, a cancer surgeon. Almost three decades later, Donna continues to serve those affected by the disease as well as specializing in forms of pain management. She is known throughout her field and the hospital as a kind and caring soul. She is also strong willed and goes the extra mile to comfort her patients. She is truly a kind and caring spirit and no doubt a tremendous asset to the St. Mary--Corwin Medical Center. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Donna Fritz is a woman of unparalleled dedication and commitment to her professional endeavors and to the people of her medical community. Her efforts have greatly improved the lives of her patients and I am honored to bring forth her accomplishments before this body of Congress and this nation. She is a remarkable woman and it is my privilege to extend to her my congratulations on her selection for the Nightingale Award. Donna, congratulations and all the best in the future.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Region 10 and congratulate all of its members on reaching an extraordinary milestone. As the organization celebrates its 30th anniversary, it is my sincere pleasure to congratulate each and every member on so many years of excellence in serving its communities and, indeed, the entire state. The efforts put forth by this organization are very much appreciated by everyone who lives in the six counties that it represents, and I am honored to stand before you today and bring its many accomplishments to the attention of this body of Congress. For 30 years this organization has worked diligently to represent the needs and desires of its communities, and I, along with the many residents that reside in your counties, am proud and thankful for what you have accomplished. For thirty years, Region 10 has served as a clearinghouse, resource center and facilitator of targeted community and regional programs on behalf of the six Colorado counties that it represents, which include Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray and Hinsdale. It has effectively presented a regional voice and unified position to local, state and federal government, industries and organizations, and has always conducted itself with the best interests and well being of its citizens in mind. Region 10 serves its communities in a myriad of ways, including sharing information among communities about local projects and programs, establishing a network of resource information and contacts for use by its communities, serving as a vehicle for coordinating funding opportunities on behalf of its communities, and engaging its membership in discussions about common issues affecting its communities. The organization has truly done an extraordinary job in its determination to enhance its communities and the lives of each and every citizen that resides within them. Their diligence and hard work has, indeed, paid off, and the contributions that Region 10 has made over its thirty years of service are immeasurable. - Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to be able to congratulate each and every member of Region 10 on this historic occasion, and wish each of them all the best in what I'm sure will be an even more eventful and exciting next thirty years. I commend each of you for your work in ensuring that the needs of the communities you represent are addressed, and I am delighted to bring the efforts of such an extraordinary organization to the attention of this body of Congress. Keep up the great work; I look forward to the next thirty years!

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding individual who has raised the level of standards and commitment to the community for businesses throughout the nation. Over the years, Walter Foxworth has distinguished himself as a business, community, and industry leader going above and beyond what is needed to provide assistance to his state and community. His dedication to excellence as a businessman, family man, and citizen is impressive and it is my honor to be able to recognize such an individual before this body of Congress and this nation. Walter has served as the National Director of the Mountain States Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association for over a decade. He is the President of the Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Company, which services Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona and is the largest lumber dealer in the Southwest. His hard work and dedication has led to respect by his peers and he is viewed as a leader in the industry. He currently serves on the boards of the National Lumber and Building Materials Dealers Association, the Lumberman Association, as well as serving as past president of the Lumberman's Association of Texas. Walter has not only devoted his time and energy to his career, but has selflessly given to his community and the several states he calls home. For the past five years Walter has provided emotional and financial support to the outreach program for the children of Taos Day School in Taos, New Mexico. He serves as the chairman of the Dallas Zoological Society, president of the Family Guidance Center, and a member of the Dallas Assembly. In addition he is well known throughout his community as a loving husband, devoted father of three, and grandfather to eight. Mr. Speaker, Walter Foxworth's dedication and service to his communities has been repeatedly rewarded over the years, most notably through his colleagues as the Lumberman of the Year in 1992 and again in 2000 with the Mountain States Lumber Dealer's first ever Industry All Star Award. It is now my honor to congratulate Walter on his success as well as his dedication to his community. He has worked hard to achieve many great undertakings in his life and certainly deserves the recognition of this body of Congress and this nation. Keep up the hard work Walter and good luck in your future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Bob Meisner and thank him for his extraordinary contributions to his community and to his State. As a resident of Rifle, Colorado, Bob has dedicated himself to improving the Rifle community and the State by selflessly giving his time and energy to his job, his family, and his community. His remarkable business and philanthropic accomplishments are surpassed only by the hard work and dedication that he has poured into each and everything he has done. As we celebrate his tremendous accomplishment of earning the Rifle Chamber of Commerce, John Scalzo Lifetime Achievement Award, let it be known that I, along with the people of Rifle, applaud his efforts and are eternally grateful for all that he has done for his State and his community. At the age of 72, Bob is most deserving of this lifetime achievement award, and I am honored to be able to bring his achievements to light. He began his extraordinary career in realty in 1955, beginning with a service station, and later a Phillips 66. After working for some time in the real estate business, he started Rifle Realty in 1973. Originally intended to capitalize on the shale boom in Rifle, the company was forced to reinvent itself as a property management company after the shale bust in 1982. Bob's ability to guide the business through both good times and bad is what truly differentiates him, and helped make him an unparalleled business leader in his community. He recently sold the business, so he could spend more time traveling with his wife, Lois. Throughout his career, Bob has been active in the Rifle Chamber of Commerce, serving as president in 1973 and being named person of the year in 1975. He has also been active in the fire department, the hospital district board and has served on both the Rifle home rule charter committee and as a council member. His philanthropic interests have further served to set him apart in his community, and have earned him much well deserved respect throughout Rifle. Bob is truly a remarkable man, always eager to give his time and energy to the community, through both his professional and philanthropic endeavors. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Bob Meisner is a man of unparalleled dedication and commitment to his job, his community and his family. It is his unrelenting passion for each and every thing he does, as well as his spirit of honesty and selflessness with which he has always conducted himself, that I wish to bring before this body of Congress. Bob Meisner has achieved extraordinary things and enriched the lives of so many people, and it is my privilege to extend to him my sincere congratulations on earning the Rifle Chamber of Commerce, John Scalzo Lifetime Achievement Award, and wish him all the best in the future.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the life and memory of Douglas Craig Frazier who recently passed away in Cortez, Colorado on March 27, 2002. Douglas, known to most as Doug, will always be remembered as a true inspiration and contributor to his community. For some time, Doug battled a long and difficult disease that threatened to tax his body to the limit, but never was allowed to affect his spirit. After a long and demanding struggle, he eventually succumbed to the effects of bone cancer. His passing is a great loss for a town that relied on Doug for his kind heart, strong spirit, and unwavering friendship. Mr. Speaker, not long ago I stood before this body of Congress to honor the Montezuma-Cortez Boys Basketball team and their well-deserved state championship. Today, I pay tribute to a source of inspiration for that title, a source of motivation to a young man, and a source of pride to a school's hometown community. As the Panthers moved forward in their quest for a state title, Doug Frazier was present every step of the way, providing support to the young players and of course, his son Layne. As the Panthers progressed through the season, Doug tried to attend every game, despite his pain, to see the team capture its ultimate prize. The young men succeeded in their goal and brought home the first state title for the school in nearly forty years, and Doug Frazier, confined to a wheelchair and medication as a result of the pain, was present with his support until the end. He passed away soon thereafter, but he achieved one of his final goals, to see his son and teammates claim the championship. Mr. Speaker, Doug will be missed by the many whose lives he touched in the Cortez community. It has always been known that his greatest passion was his love and dedication to his family. He is survived by wife Paula, daughter Amanda, and son Layne, and a grateful community. It is with a solemn heart that we say goodbye and pay our respects to an inspiration of a Colorado community. Doug Craig Frazier dedicated the final days of his life to his family and the Cortez community, and his spirit continues to provide inspiration to those he affected with his drive and determination. Doug was a kind and generous soul, and he will be greatly missed.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, this evening I want to cover a couple of points. Especially, I want to focus tonight on one area, and that is the death tax, and the differences between our parties, between the Republicans and the Democrats when it comes to the death tax. This is clearly reflected by the votes of the last couple of years. When I speak in Special Orders, most of the time I try not to speak in a strong partisan fashion. There are a lot of issues that span both sides of the aisle. There are a lot of issues that are not necessarily a division between Republicans and Democrats, but rather a division between urban and rural areas; or there are issues that partisanship is divided, not Republicans and Democrats, but geographical location in the Nation. For example, many times I have taken this podium and spoken about water in the East as compared to water in the West, the issues of public lands which are almost exclusively found in the West as compared to the private lands found in the East. There are a number of different issues, so not every issue that we deal with up here falls along partisan lines. But there comes a time when there is an issue that falls along partisan lines where the majority of one party is on the opposite side of the majority of the other party, and tonight is one of those nights that I want to speak about an issue. The reason I bring this up is because of the impact it has on my district in Colorado, and the impact that it has on the American dream and throughout this Nation, not necessarily the people from Colorado, but the people from the other 49 States, and it is the death tax. It is a tax that the Democrats, time and time and time again, go back to their districts and talk about how terrible it is and come back here and vote to support it, to keep the death tax in place. I am tired of it. This thing is killing people out there, no pun intended. This death tax is devastating to a lot of American citizens. It is of little benefit to the government. Our government gets very little tax revenue from this death tax; but time and time and time again, the Democrats continuously through their leadership continue to support the death tax. Every time we talk about it, they make it look like we are talking about the Gates families or the Ford families or those kinds of families out there. They completely ignore the fact that the wealthiest families in this country which they say that the death tax is directed at, those families have estate lawyers and trusts. Those families have life insurance to take care of a death and the costs related to that and the cost related to the death tax. What the Democrats do ignore time and time again is what it does to the middle class in this country. What do I mean by the middle class? Look at what one has to own today to be subject to the death tax. If you are in construction, you are not a wealthy person. Let us say you are a woman. And women in business, by the way, have jumped dramatically, so the impact against women that this death tax has also jumped dramatically. You will see the Democrats jumping up and down about women in business and we are for women in business. Next time you hear one of your Members from your district say that, you have to be prepared to defend. Why do I vote for the death tax and why do I support the death tax which has an inappropriate impact on women in business? Let us say you have a woman who owns a couple of dump trucks, a backhoe and a small office building, not a big office building, just small. Let us say she has a trailer and a semi to haul the backhoe around on. She is now subject to the death tax upon her death. What is the death tax and how does it work? That is what we are going to talk about this evening, because I want Members to understand clearly how negative the impacts are. Tonight I intend to read a few letters from families, diverse in their interests, farm families, small business families, contractors, children of families who have had businesses go from one generation to the other, which as we know in this country is significantly diminished in large part due to the death tax. Let me just kind of point out a couple of things to start with. Last year the President, with the help of the Congress, we put together a tax reduction package. No matter how hard we tried, we could not get the Democrats, and we had 58 of the Democrats in the House who came across, but the real impact, their leaders, we begged them to join us. We asked them, come on, let us get rid of this death tax. Look what is happening to middle America. Look what this does. But we could not get them to budge. The best we could do last year in our effort to eliminate the death tax was to get a compromise to lift the exemption. Here in 2004 it works its way up to $2 million. In 2006, it works its way up to $3 million; and 2010, it works its way up to $4 million, actually $3.5 million. But guess what happens in 2010? Here is what the exemption is. In other words, if you have an estate worth $3.5 million, the first $3.5 million is exempt from the death tax. Then in the year 2010, look what happens in 2010. In the year 2010, the exemption is zero, because guess what happens for 1 year? For 1 year the death tax goes away. Zero. Then what happens? Then all of a sudden it goes back to normal in 2011 because we could not make it permanent. The reason we could not make it permanent is we did not have enough Democratic votes in our conference committee to come across. Let me say again, colleagues, I do not like to be partisan every time I speak up here, I rarely am, but tonight the issue demands it because it is a clear distinction between Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats continually support the continuation of that death tax; the Republicans on a continual basis oppose the death tax. Last year we were able to get a compromise to at least lift the exemption. The exemption, as my colleagues know, is that amount of money that you get before the government starts to tax your estate. It has been $675,000 before the tax package agreement. So we had the tax package agreement which does not do away with the death tax initially, but allows you to lift the exemption. And that is what this chart reflects, from $675,000 on up to $3.5 million, and then the death tax actually goes away for 1 year. But then it sunsets. What is sunset? Sunset, as my colleagues know, this tax bill evaporates and we go back to the same taxes we had in 2000. In other words, we are back to a $675,000 exemption which takes that woman contractor that only owns a backhoe, a dump truck, and some other equipment and maybe a small office building, it makes her estate subject to the Federal death tax. Let us talk about what the Federal death tax is, and we need to make this clear at the beginning. The death tax is not on property that has not been taxed. This is not property that one has been able to evade the tax man for many years, that the people who own this property have not carried their fair share. They have. They paid taxes on it when they bought it. But the government comes in and says it does not matter to us that you paid taxes once or twice, or in some cases three times, we are going to tax it again simply because of the event of death. Even though your property has been taxed, even though you have paid for it again and again and again in some cases, you still get taxed as if it were never taxed upon your death. How did such an egregious tax start? Let me say there is no justification, in my opinion, for the death tax anywhere in our tax system. If you take a look at the history of our tax system, if we look at it from a historical view, the debates when we put taxes together throughout the history of this country, when we came up with the income tax, nobody ever envisioned, certainly our forefathers when they drafted the Constitution would never have envisioned that upon your death the government would come into property upon which you had already paid your taxes and tax it again. They never thought that would happen. Mr. Speaker, how did it come about? It came about because of jealousy. In this country the American dream is to succeed. We educate our kids. All of us grew up with the dream of some type of success. Having a family is, of course, one of our big dreams; I as a father, my wife as a mother, one of our big dreams is to have something to leave to our kids so our kids can get a start in their life. I cannot leave my congressional seat, obviously, but I always did dream, I did dream of having something physical like a construction company or some kind of business that I could get my kids to work with me, and then turn the business over to them. Well, this tax dashes that. This tax puts a knife in the center of it. It is amazing how few base businesses pass to the second generation. I think 70 percent do not make it to the second generation, and 80 percent do not make it to the third generation. Those are pretty rough numbers. How can one conceive such a tax like this? Why would the lawmakers put this tax in place? As I said, it is jealousy. We urge people to be great, enjoy the fruits of your labor. Have Members heard that before, enjoy the fruits of your labor? Around the turn of the century, there were some big families which made a lot of money, the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, the Fords, Chrysler, a lot of these big families, and there was a lot of jealousy at that point in time. The government decided to respond to some public pressure and said, ``Hey, let's penalize those people. They've made too much money. They shouldn't be able to pass that money from one generation to the next. After all, the government needs the money to fight a war or to fight a depression. Let's go ahead and let's go after those families.'' Well, they did. Of course, what did those kinds of families do? They have the resources to hire the necessary professional help, which is legal, of course, to hire the necessary professional help so that their impact on this is not nearly as significant as the impact is on middle America. So this tax got put into the system, more of a target towards Carnegie and Ford. So this tax gets created, put into our taxing system, and I will tell you something; once the government figures out a tax, it is very, very hard to ever get rid of it. The battles that we had on the floor last year, I was astounded that any Democrat stood up and defended the death tax, that any Democrat could stand up and do that. By the way, to the best of my recollection, we did not have one Republican stand up and defend the death tax. Every Republican stood against it. And to 58 Democrats' credit, 58 of them, not all of them, not even close, what is that, maybe a fourth of them, a fifth of them stood up to oppose it; four-fifths of them supported this death tax. So this thing has continued and continued and continued. I hope the Senate has some kind of vote on this thing, that we can eliminate this death tax. This death tax does not serve any of us. It does not help the government in revenues. Let me tell you, it does not just go against the wealthy people at all. You would be surprised, colleagues, when you go back to your district, take a look that anybody that is at all financially successful, in some of your States like California where you have high home prices, or in Massachusetts or in any of those kind of communities, if a person owns their home in some of those communities free and clear, they could be in that category where they face a death tax simply because of the fact they saved their money, they paid the taxes on their house when they bought the house, they worked hard, they got the house paid off, and now all of a sudden upon their death the family to whom they want to leave this to will have to pay the taxes. You will understand after I read some of these letters. We are not talking about the Gates family here. We are not talking about the wealthiest families in the country. We are talking about middle America. And we are talking about the need to stand up and say enough is enough. Look, we all have to pay taxes. That is how we fund things. That is how we fund our highways, our schools. Thank goodness we paid taxes many, many years ago and funded a terrific military, a machine that could protect this Nation in a time of need. But there is a point of ridiculousness. There is a point of absurdity. That point is reached when you put the death tax in place. Let me just cover a couple of points. One point I want to make before we get started too much here is these people that come out, and I heard this just the other day, somebody said, ``Why are you complaining about the death tax? That's what life insurance is for.'' For example, a ranching family. The ranching family, usually most ranching families are what you would call land rich, cash poor. The land has been around and they have accumulated land, but the revenue that comes off the land is very limited. They do not have a lot of cash. So you talk to people, and this is what happened to me the other day. I was talking to somebody, in this particular case we were talking about a ranch in Colorado. I was talking about that family. He said, ``Well, the death tax isn't unfair. That's why you have life insurance. Go out and buy life insurance.'' I heard that last year from some of the Democrats: ``Why, you ought to go out and buy life insurance.'' It was almost as if the special interests up here in regards to life insurance had done a lot of lobbying right before to sell life insurance as a justification for the death tax. In this particular case when I was talking to the individual about this ranch, I said, ``Oh, yeah? Why don't you pick up a telephone. You show me one life insurer that is going to be willing to sell a life insurance policy to the 65- year-old rancher that owns this ranch.'' Where do you think he is going to get the money, or in this case he and she, because it was a husband and wife operation. Actually the husband was 67 and the wife was 65. Who do you think is going to insure them? Oh, sure, they will start writing you life insurance at 67 or 65, maybe if you get a million- dollar policy they will sit down and write you for a premium of a couple of hundred thousand bucks a year. That is the whole point. The small people, middle class America, the middle class of economics here, they cannot afford the premiums for life insurance to take care of this unjustified tax. Why should they have to buy it in the first place? How can you in a democratic society that practices capitalism, how can you justify a tax based solely on the fact that you have died on property that you have already paid taxes upon? How can you do that? You cannot justify it. Let me jump in here and read some letters to you. Again, I do not speak from written notes. These are actual letters that I have received in regards to this terrible death tax and what it does. These people feel like they have been fooled, that the death tax goes away in 2010 and then it leaps from the grave, as the Wall Street Journal puts it, leaps from the grave the next year. By the way, any of you that cannot afford life insurance, whose family will be devastated by the death tax, look, do not die until 2010. Those of you from an economical point of view who are lucky enough to die at 2 minutes to midnight 2010, are going to be a whole lot luckier than those people who die 2 minutes after midnight and go back to a full estate taxation. Let me read some letters. ``Dear Mr. McInnis: ``I'm writing to encourage you to keep up the battle of the death tax. As an owner of a family business, it is extremely important that upon our death, this business be able to be passed to our daughter and our son, both of whom work with us in the business, without the threat of having to liquidate to pay inheritance taxes on assets that have already been taxed once. Of all the taxes we pay, this one is double taxation and it's unfair.'' I can tell you that word is probably the most accurate word of the whole letter. It is unfair. Where is the fairness in this, Democrats? You are the guys that carried it. You are the guys who continue to support this. You are the guys that put it in place. You are the guys that work against us to get rid of it. Again I want to stress, I am not up here to start a partisan fight. I am up here to clearly define where the lines are on the death tax. One party has stood time and time again in unison to eliminate the death tax. The other party, the majority of whom have stood time and time and time again to look at an individual like this, a gentleman and his wife that want their son and daughter to continue in business and said, ``Too bad. You're rich. We need the money for society. We'd rather take the money from those of you who work and achieve the American dream and pay your taxes, we'd rather hit you with double taxation and transfer that money to people that don't work.'' That is the essence of your argument. And it does not hold water. Let me continue with the letter. ``I'm aware that several wealthy people like, for example, Bill Gates Sr.''--not Bill Gates, Jr.--``Bill Gates, Sr., and George Soros have come out against repeal of the death tax.'' Let me address that. These people are the billionaires, or close to it. They ran an ad, I think, in the New York Times, the most liberal newspaper in the United States, they ran an ad that said, ``Hey, we support the death tax. It is only fair that rich people pay an extra tax on property that has already been taxed upon their death.'' The Gates family has what is called the Gates Foundation. What do you do when you have a foundation? You evade, and not illegally, you legally are able to avoid those death taxes. George Soros, do you not think George Soros has an entire roomful of trust attorneys? Do you not think every person who signed that ad has already made arrangements to get around the death tax? I would venture to challenge every one of my colleagues, any of my colleagues today whose net worth would put them into the death tax category, any of you sitting here today, my guess is that any of you that voted against eliminating the death tax have already done your estate planning so that you do not have to pay the death tax or so that you minimize the death tax that you pay. My guess is not one of you who voted against elimination of the death tax, not one of you that is worth, say, over $1 million today, so you are going to be subject to the death tax, not one of you has not already protected yourself through some kind of legal counseling on how to evade it. That is the same thing that is referenced in this letter. It is always easy to stand up and say, ``Hey, I think it's a good tax'' when you do not have to pay it. It is pretty interesting, is it not, the support for a tax comes from the people who do not have to pay for it. That is exactly what that ad was about. Let me go on to another letter. This one, by the way, was signed by Tony and his wife. This is from John: ``I wish there were some way I could help to get these death taxes eliminated, the most discriminatory and socialistic taxes imaginable.'' That is another key word, socialism. This is a society of capitalism. We have a democracy in the United States. We are not socialists, where we make everybody equal, where we go out and say, ``All right, Johnny, you have a farm. You were successful in your farm. Joey over here didn't do any work, wasn't at all ingenious, didn't do anything to help society, but we're going to take the money and the rewards that you had and we're going to equal it out.'' That is what the original intent of the death tax was, and this individual, a fellow by the name of John, picked up on that. He says, are we in a socialistic society? Why do we have this death tax? Where is the fairness of it? He goes on: ``How can anyone,'' and I want the Democrats that voted to keep the death tax in place, I want the Democrats to listen to this: ``How can anyone advocate taxing somebody twice?" How can you do it? Where is the fairness of it? How can you tell me it is not socialism? I do not care if it is a millionaire or a pauper. It is not the government's money and the taxes have been paid. That is what he writes in this letter. I do not care whether you are a pauper or a millionaire. It is not fair. And the taxes have already been paid. Why should a family working for 45 years and paying taxes on time every year, year after year after year, be forced into this position? I do not know, John, other than the fact that we have Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, colleagues, who continue to support a death tax, who continue in force, especially, and there is a huge party difference on this, and let me repeat again. Last year, to the best of my knowledge, not one Republican stood up and supported the death tax. They all voted to eliminate it. Four-fifths or so of the Democrats supported the death tax and keeping it. Let us go on. There are some other interesting letters. Marshall writes this letter, Marshall and his wife: ``We have operated as a family partnership since the middle 1930s. My parents died about 5 years apart in the 1980s. And the death tax on each of their one-fifth interest was three to four times more than the total cost of the ranch that was purchased in 1946.'' In other words, because of the death tax, Marshall says his parents each owned a fifth, they each owned a fifth of this ranch, and the taxes on each of their fifths exceeded what the original purchase price of the ranch was. Where is the fairness in that? ``Eliminating the death tax will go a long way towards providing jobs.'' In fact, Marshall, I will give a couple of points here that I think are pretty important, to tune in on Marshall's letter. Sixty percent of small business owners report they would create new jobs over the coming year if they knew the death taxes were eliminated. Half of those who must liquidate the business to pay the IRS will each have to eliminate 30 or more jobs. To pay that bill on average, small business will have to eliminate 30 or more jobs for each estate. One-third of small business owners today will have to sell outright or liquidate a part of their company to pay the death taxes. More than 70 percent of family businesses do not survive the second generation. And 87 percent do not make it to the third generation. And Marshall, in talking to colleagues, this letter from Marshall, let me add something else for you to consider. The death tax hits women business owners hard. The impact of the death tax on small business means it is especially threatening to women who are creating small businesses at twice the rate of men. Since 1987, the number of female-owned ventures has doubled from 4.5 million to 9.1 million. Last year, women-owned companies employed more than 27 million Americans, nearly 9 million more than in 1996. And their annual sales have risen from $2.3 trillion to $3.6 trillion. The National Association of Women Businessowners strongly supports eliminating the death tax. So the next time, I say to my colleagues, and there is a campaign here, the next time my colleagues are out there on the campaign trail talking about what they are going to do for women, those of my colleagues who voted to continue the death tax better be ready to explain to the women that are asking you that question why you continue to support a tax that hurt women unproportionately. Let me go on from Marshall's letter: ``I have 3 sons involved in our operation, and a grandson starting college next year. It is important that we keep agriculture viable to keep our beef industry from being integrated. We must make sure that our youth can stay on our ranches and farms.'' I agree with Marshall. Let us go on to Nathan. This is an interesting letter. This is a young man. This is a young college student, a college student who looks out into his future and perceives kind of what this death tax is going to mean to him and to his family: ``I am a college student. I grew up in a family which has lived and thrived in agriculture. My parents and grandparents are involved in a typical family farm. We have had the farm more than 125 years. Grandpa is 76. He does not have long to go. My parents have been very worried and discussing this situation over the last several months. My parents worry about the 'death tax,' the eventual loss, and they worry about how they are going to be able to keep that farm going once he passes away. The loss of my grandfather will trigger this tax upon my family's inheritance. My parents hope that they will be able to pay this tax without having to sell any part of our family operation that our family has worked so hard in maintaining over these years. It does not look good.'' The outlook really does not look good. Farmers and ranchers are having enough trouble keeping their family operations going. ``Statistics show that the farmers are having, from an economic viewpoint,'' he says, ``a very difficult time, and yet, the Government continues to pursue this death tax. Those who say something about life insurance, we cannot afford the premiums. Statistics show that more than half of all of the people who pay these death taxes had estates that are valued at less than $1 million. My family falls under this category. It does not seem fair to me. My family's farm is not located in a rich district, but I can tell you I needed to talk to somebody. Even though we are not located where the land values are high.'' What he says here is their family is still going to be subject to this punitive tax. And that is what it is. Do my colleagues know what the word ``punitive'' means? It means penalty. There is no way to explain the death tax to our society other than to say it is a penalty for success. It is a transfer of wealth devised strictly as that, as a penalty. It is not a net revenue for the government or, if it is, it is very, very minimal, by the time we take out all of the costs and so on of collection. So it has very little benefit to the Government. Even those who are socialists or believe in what is good for all, we should have all of this equal treatment, even when we take a look at the small benefit and we put it on the scale, that small incremental benefit that it gives to the Government as compared to the devastating loss that it does to individual families that are being hit with this death tax, that scale looks just like that. That is exactly what happens to the scale. So even those of us who believe in kind of a socialistic pattern, that upon a death, the property should go to the Government and be redistributed back into the communities, take a look at that scale and tell me about the impact. I want to tell my colleagues about a true story down in my district. We had a very wealthy individual. This individual, by the way, started as a janitor in a local construction company. His name was Joe. Joe Ashley started out, as I said, as a janitor; but he could keep books, so pretty soon he was keeping books for the construction company. Over the period of his work career which spanned 50 some years, he went from janitor to bookkeeper, worked in the bidding part of the business, and pretty soon he owned a construction company, started his own construction company. Pretty soon he was into real estate investment. He started up in a bank there in the community. Obviously, he was very successful. He did not inherit it; he worked for it. He worked a lot of days, worked hard. The American dream, it came true. What else did he do in the community? What else? Well, he happened to be the largest contributor to his church. In fact, he underwrote 75 percent of the church's budget. He was the largest contributor in the community to the charities. He was the biggest booster for the sports club at the high school. He employed the most people in the community, gave jobs to people sometimes that needed the jobs, but did not exactly have the work for them; but he put them to work. He found something for them to do. He was probably the most popular individual in the community, not because of his wealth, but because of his personality, because of his compassion, because of what he did for people. He gave them jobs. He gave them an opportunity to protect themselves. Well, unfortunately, not too long ago, my friend, Joe, in this community got cancer, terminal cancer; and he passed away. Do we know what happened to the money in his estate? After they got done with capital gains, which is another tax we could discuss, but after they hit the family with capital gains, and then they put the death tax on top of that, 76 cents, 76 cents out of every dollar went to the U.S. Government. Now, do my colleagues think that money stayed in that local community where it was distributed by Joe? When Joe made the money, the money stayed in the community. It went to the local bank, it went to the local charities, it went for local employment, it went for local investment. But as soon as Joe died, the government reached into this little tiny community out in rural Colorado and sucked that money out of that community and back to Washington, D.C. And then what happens back here? The money gets redistributed. What percentage of the money they took out of that community through the death tax do we think went back to that community after Washington got its hands on it? Probably not a thousandth of a percent. Probably not one-thousandth of a percent ever made it back to the community. And for those Democrats who continue to support the death tax, you go down to the local church down there or to the local charity or to those local people that no longer have their jobs and explain why it was more important to transfer that money, to take it out of a small community in Colorado and move it to Washington, D.C. under the theory that when you die, this property should go to the Government, that death should be a taxable event. And I say to my colleagues, I know that when some of you are out there on the campaign trail, you try to avoid this, you get a direct look from a constituent, a small businessperson, a woman in business, a farmer, a rancher, somebody who owns some property and they say, Congressman, what are you going to do about the death tax? I hope every constituent out there demands that you give them an exact answer, that they do not let you puff and fluff around it. Either you support it or you do not. Do not hide it with all of these exemptions. That is what I am worried about this week. We are going to get an opportunity to see the death tax come to a vote I think in the other body. The question is are they going to dilute it with a lot of other amendments? It is pretty simple. Do you support eliminating the death tax on a permanent basis, getting rid of it; or are you a supporter of the death tax? And if you are, you ought to go talk to Chris, you ought to talk to some of these people, to Tony, to John, to Marshall and look them right in the eye and say to them why you think it is appropriate for the Government, upon your death, to come and take your property simply for redistribution to other people that have nothing to do with you. That is exactly what happens with the money. When the government takes the money and your property upon your death, do you think that they leave it in that community? Of course they do not leave it in your community. Do you think they give it to a special cause that you want it to go to? Of course not. That money is redistributed to sources you would not even imagine. That money is given out, given out to somebody other than the people that you had in mind. And people, by the way, who did not contribute to your success or your family's sweat on the farm or in the small business or some other way it was accumulated. Let me talk about another couple. Here is H.B. and Roberta: ``As you know, farming and ranching out here is no slam dunk. If our farm is ultimately faced with this death tax burden, there is absolutely no way we could ever afford and justify holding on to our farm. This, in turn, prevents us from the following.'' Think about this, and to those Democrats that support this, that vote continually for a death tax, think about what I am saying. I am not saying, I am just repeating it. These are constituents. These are constituents. ``This, in turn, this death tax will keep us, it will keep us from having a farm for future generations. We want to keep it from becoming one more development out in the middle of the country.'' This particular location is in Colorado. Do we know what is going to happen to that farm if it does not continue to be a farm? It is going to become condominiums. Anybody that cares about the environment ought to be adamantly opposed to the death tax, because in areas like I come from, I come from a fairly wealthy part of the country, I mean where the land has really increased in value. Same for California, same for Arizona, same for parts of many of these States. Do we know what happens to that farm land? They do not continue to do it as a farm once they get their hands on it. The developers come in, and they build condominiums or they build strip malls or they lay down pavement; and that is exactly what this family, H.B. and Roberta, are saying. You are going to keep this land from being available to the deer and elk. By the way, we just saw over 600 head of elk this afternoon, and you are going to keep it unavailable for other uses. ``Scott, we are only able to meet the daily operating costs of our farm under the present economic conditions of agriculture. Unless there is some kind of positive action to eliminate this death tax, we must start making the necessary plans to arrange our affairs so that my family is the ultimate winner of lifelong struggles of both my parents, Roberta and me. We cannot allow the IRS to take it. They do not deserve it.'' That is what they say in here. The Government does not deserve it. We have already paid our taxes. They say it right here. ``We have already paid our taxes. Why are they coming back again? Is it just solely for the purpose of breaking us, of breaking up the family farm so it goes to condominiums, of taking out the ability for wildlife to enjoy those resources? Of taking the heritage of the family, the dream of many families to pass it from one generation to the next generation?'' Folks, do we not think that the Government ought to be in the business of encouraging business to go from generation to generation? Certainly my colleagues would agree, I would hope. A lot of my colleagues do not, but certainly I would hope that at some point my colleagues come to the agreement that the Government really has a role reversal here. They have it all wrong. What the Government ought to do instead of breaking up family business or family farms and preventing it from going to generation to generation, the Government ought to encourage it. The Government ought to put incentive out there. There is a lot to be said for a farm that has generation after generation and generation of family on it, but 80 some percent of that is not going to happen primarily due to the death tax. Let us look at a couple of other letters. Let me go on: ``Our 106-year-old mother passed away. Because we knew she was fearful of being placed in a nursing home and we never considered it an option, my husband and I took care of her in my own home for 2 days a week, alternating with my siblings. She was alert, but she was in the hospital for 5 weeks. When hoping to leave, she suddenly died. Now, guess what? We have discovered that we have to sell the family home which was acquired by our parents in 1929. We are six children who worked in it and grew up in this home. ``Prior to the WWII, my parents had a greenhouse business on 5 acres of farm property. After the end of WWII, the family returned from'' the relocation center ``where those of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated to our home and signs that said, 'No Japs wanted.' My father died of a heart attack in 1953. My mother lost the business located on 2 acres (four greenhouses, the heating plant, and the packing shed which had two bedrooms above where many of us slept'' when they were children, or spent many nights as children. It went to the State. ``My mother was able to keep the family house, which she and my father built. The property lost its access frontage and now can only be reached by a dirt road in the back. I might add that all my siblings and I worked many hours in the business after school, weekends, and summer vacations. . . .'' Because of this death tax, this property will have to be sold. I urge Members and I ask Members, where is the fairness? How do we answer a letter like that? What do we say? Look at this: ``My family has ranched in northern Colorado for 125 years.'' That is what Derek says. ``My sons are the sixth generation to work this land. We want to continue, but the IRS is forcing almost all ranchers and many farmers out of business.'' He says the problem is the estate taxes. In Colorado, ``The demand for our property is very high and 35-acre ranchettes are selling in this area'' for unbelievable amounts. They have a lot of acres. ``We want to keep it open space.'' They want to keep it as a farm. They want to keep it in the family. They want their sons and daughters to continue to work it, as they had the American dream of putting their hands in the soil, but the government is making it impossible because they have a death tax. They want to penalize them. Mr. Congressman, we have paid these taxes. This family has paid our taxes when we bought the land. We pay our taxes for our equipment. We pay our taxes on any revenue we take off this land. But they haven't had enough. The government has not had enough. Now they want to penalize us because we have been successful. But in the long run, Congressman, you do not just penalize us, you hurt the institution of our government. And they are right. What we are doing is breaking up a family from passing business from generation to generation. We are inviting the developers to come in and destroy the open space and build condos and parking lots. There are a lot of things, a lot of things that are being destroyed by this tax that cannot be justified. ``We are one of only two or three ranchers left around here. Dad is 90 years old. We do not have much time to decide what to do. Most ranches have been subdivided. One of the last to go was a family that had been there as long as ours. When the old folks died, the kids borrowed money to pay the taxes. Soon they had to start selling cattle to pay the interest.'' When they ran out of cattle, the ranch was foreclosed on and now is in full development. That family which started out with this ranch, because of the punitive interest that they had to pay, the interest they had to pay on the punitive death tax, it broke them. Now they live in a trailer court on the other side of town. Who would ever imagine this is what the American dream was all about? These letters go on and on and on. Every one of my colleagues, every one of them, has a duty, in my opinion, to go out to their constituents that are facing this tax. They have a duty. And to those constituents of theirs whose businesses will be threatened because of this death tax, they have a duty to go to them and be straight with them. It is pretty easy because we have a definitive vote on the record right up there. There is a recorded vote that took place. Members ought to be straight with them and say, ``Look, I tried to eliminate the death tax on a permanent basis. I tried to even minimize the death tax.'' Or if they are from the other side of the aisle, they would say, ``I support the death tax, even though it will break you; even though it brings very little benefit to the government.'' Even though the money that a death tax is levied against is money that is taken out of the local community and transferred to Washington, D.C., they supported that. Keep in mind, as I said, and I will summarize it with this, I started my comments this evening by saying that my general intent when I may speak at night on these nightside chats is not to get into partisan flavor, because, as I described, there are a lot of issues up here that are not partisan. They are based more on geographical differences, the East and West, the cities and the rural areas. That is generally what I like to focus on. But this issue is hitting us so hard, and here there is a clear division between the parties. Not one Republican, to the best of my knowledge, not one Republican stood up last year in support of the death tax. Every Republican, to the best of my knowledge, every one of them that is a Republican opposed the death tax. The same cannot be said for the Democrats. That is why I am taking this partisan approach, not to attack unnecessarily, but to say, come on, it is time to draw the line in the sand. Why is it that four-fifths of the Democrats in this House, why is it that they continue to support this death tax? Why is it that they will not stand with us shoulder to shoulder to eliminate the most punitive tax ever known in the history of this country? The reason is simple. The reason is because they think it is appropriate to take money from an individual family, to take money from a community and transfer it to Washington, D.C.; take money and transfer wealth from this person to this person, for no other justification than the fact that the person that had the money or had the small business or had the farm or had the ranch is no longer alive. They cannot fight them anymore, so I guess they think in the long run they won. But frankly, in the long run, if we continue with this death tax that has been primarily or solely supported by the Democrats, we all lose. All of us lose. It is time to eliminate the death tax once and for all. I urge all of us on both sides of the aisle to stand shoulder to shoulder to eliminate this punishment upon the American people.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Dr. Ronald Robinson and thank him for his extraordinary contributions to the University of Southern Colorado, his alma mater, and to the petroleum-engineering field, to which he has contributed so much. Since graduating from the University of Southern Colorado, Dr. Robinson has become one of the preeminent thinkers and innovators in his field, advancing and overseeing technologies that contribute to making each and every one of our lives better. His remarkable accomplishments are surpassed only by the level of integrity and honesty with which he has conducted himself each and every day, a trait we have come to expect from graduates of the University of Southern Colorado, but one that Dr. Robinson embodies so well. As we celebrate his tremendous accomplishment of receiving the Alumni Achievement Award, let it be known that I, along with the people of Colorado and this nation, applaud his efforts, and are eternally grateful for all that he has accomplished in his distinguished career. Always the consummate academic, Dr. Robinson graduated from Southern Colorado State College (now the University of Southern Colorado) in 1968, with a degree in math and physics, and then went on to earn his masters in physics from Baylor University, and finally his doctoral degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University. After earning his doctoral degree, Dr. Robinson embarked upon an impressive career in the petroleum engineering industry, emerging time and again as a leader and innovator in the field. In 1996, he was named President of Texaco Technology, where he was responsible for all of Texaco's research, development, engineering, information technology and technical applications throughout the world. While at Texaco, he managed a total operating budget of over $450 million a year, as well as an investment portfolio of almost $500 million. As a testament to his expertise and intellect, in 2001, Dr. Robinson became professor and department head of the Albert B. Stevens Endowed Chair in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University. He was recently named Chairman of the Board of Verdisys, a provider of satellite broadband infrastructure for energy and rural enterprises, and is a director of the Global Petroleum Research Institute and the Network of Excellence in Training. In addition, he is the Chairman, CEO and President of UniPure, Corp., an energy company that develops process technologies for the oil industry. Perhaps most importantly, he has three children, Kevin, Kyle and Kurt, with his wife Bonnie Lynn Martin. - Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Dr. Ronald Robinson is a man of unparalleled talent, dedication, and intellect, who has, throughout his career, reached extraordinary heights and achieved incredible things. He has proven himself to be among the best in his field, and it is a great honor to be able to bring his many accomplishments to the attention of this body of Congress. It is my privilege to extend to him my sincere congratulations on receiving the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Southern Colorado, and wish him all the best in his multitude of endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of a woman who has devoted her life's work to improving the lives of children, the elderly, and the disabled in the State of Colorado. Rita Barreras has taken tremendous strides in the social services field and has proven herself a dedicated leader in her profession. For her service to others, she was recently honored by her alma mater, the University of Southern Colorado, as Outstanding Alumnus. It is my honor to bring the accomplishments of such an astounding provider of care and service before this body of Congress, and this nation. Rita is currently the Director of the Division of Aging and Adult Services for the Colorado Department of Human Services in Denver. In this position, she provides the leadership and vision for sixty-three social service county departments. After twenty-five years in the field, Rita is known as a respected administrator and dedicated care provider. She is credited with many innovative policies that have changed the lives of the elderly and aging, as well as their families throughout Colorado. A 1974 graduate of the University of Southern Colorado, Rita attributes much of her success and her approach to her profession to her experience and education at USC. Rita has long been an active member of the community, and has gone to great lengths to improve the lives of her fellow Coloradans. She serves as a Board Member of Metro Denver Hospice, the Denver Foundation, and the Colorado Hispana Leadership Council. She also serves as an advocate for the United Way, the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, and the American Diabetes Association. As a member and leader of these groups, Rita has been a driving force in developing and achieving worthy and often difficult goals for the organizations. Through her professional success and her unfaltering efforts to help others, Rita has become a model citizen of the Hispanic community and the broader Colorado community. She has been well rewarded over the years, most notably in 1993 when she was a nominee for the Denver YWCA's Women's Achievement Award, where she was invited to attend and organize the Colorado Delegation for the White House Conference on Aging. In addition, in 1995, the AARP honored Rita with the Partnership Award for her successes in providing care to the aging. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor today to bring the accomplishments of Rita Barreras before this body of Congress, and this nation. Rita embodies the extraordinary spirit of service and dedication in this country, and it brings me great pride and joy to bring her efforts to your attention today. Thank you for all of your efforts in improving our lives and community, Rita. Good luck, and congratulations on your recent achievement.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Jody Voss and thank her for her extraordinary contributions to the Boys' and Girls' Club of Pueblo, Colorado. Her life-long dedication to both her job and the youth of Pueblo is matched only by the level of integrity and honesty with which she has conducted herself each and every day while at her post. She is known as a kind and caring soul with the utmost dedication and talent, and is known as a leader in her community. As Jody celebrates her recent milestone of twenty years with the organization, let it be known that I, along with each and every person with whom she has worked in Pueblo, are eternally grateful for all that she has accomplished in her many years of service. Jody went to work for the Boys' and Girls' Club of Pueblo in 1982. As executive director, Jody, and the rest of her dedicated leadership, grew the organization from one center serving two-hundred fifty kids to seven centers involving over three thousand kids. For over twenty years, Jody has selflessly given her time, energy and unrelenting commitment to the youth of Pueblo, a milestone recently celebrated by the organization in early March. She is considered by many to be the backbone of the organization and the success the club enjoys today is a direct reflection of her diligence and commitment to our younger generations. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Jody Voss is a woman of unparalleled dedication and commitment to both her professional endeavors and the people of her community. It is her unrelenting passion for each and every thing she does, as well as her spirit of honesty and integrity with which she has always conducted herself, that I wish to bring before this body of Congress. She is a remarkable woman, who has achieved extraordinary things in her career and for her community. It is my privilege to extend to Jody Voss my congratulations on twenty years of faithful service and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a solemn heart and yet great pride that I take this opportunity to pay respect to a United States Marine, Eli Martinez . Eli was killed over a year ago during training exercise at the age of twenty-one. He was a well-respected young man who is dearly missed by the community of Trinidad, Colorado who relied on him for his willingness and desire to help others. His legacy of kindness now has the opportunity to pass on through the efforts of his mother, Marie Martinez. She has recently established a memorial fund to continue Eli's quest to better his surroundings and his community. As she begins this quest, I would like to recognize her son before this body of Congress, and this nation. --- According to his mother, Eli's purpose and goal in life was to simply help others in any way possible. At the age of seventeen, he could often be found praying for those in need, those who were sick, and those who were less fortunate. He reached out and touched the lives of people from all walks of life in Trinidad, regardless of age, class, or religion, and was known as a truly kind soul. Eli felt that the ultimate gift to others was to serve them in difficult and trying circumstances. He joined the Marines at the age of eighteen and was well respected amongst his fellow Marines, and officers. Like many members of our armed forces, Eli believed that it is every young person's duty to be willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Unfortunately Eli was called upon to pay that price, but his memory lives on. The new Eli Martinez Foundation Fund, created by Marie Martinez, will continue the work that Eli began. Contributions to the fund will go to a variety of causes close to Eli's heart, including the homeless and troubled youths. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to Eli Martinez for his contributions to the Trinidad community and to our nation. His dedication to his community, his fellow man, and to the protection of our freedoms deserves the recognition of this body of Congress, and a grateful nation. Eli is a fine example for young people of this country who strive to better themselves and improve the lives of others. Although Eli has left us, his selfless spirit will live on through the lives of those he touched, and through the efforts of his mother, Marie. Eli, thank you for your service, you will be greatly missed.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding individual who has dedicated the past 24 years of his life to serving and protecting the citizens of Colorado. Sheriff Gary Cure of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office has, in his many years of service, courageously and dutifully served his community, his state and his country, and I am honored to pay tribute to him today in front of this body of Congress. After a long and successful career as one of Colorado's finest, Gary will be moving on to take a position with the County Sheriffs of Colorado in Denver. Though I look forward to his tenure in Denver, I, along with the many citizens of Jackson County, will sorely miss his hard work and dedication to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. Gary has been with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office since 1979, where he began his tenure as undersheriff before being elected sheriff in 1982--a post to which he has been reelected ever since. As sheriff, Gary has dedicated himself to the betterment of the community and the department, not only through his extraordinary law enforcement work, but also through his incredible ability to raise funds for much needed improvements. Prior to announcing his retirement, Gary announced that he had, at no cost, procured a $30,000 file management system for the Sheriff's Office. He was responsible for getting a loan that enabled the county to install a 911 system, and subsequently procured an additional $50,000 grant to upgrade the system. In addition, he was the chairman of the committee that obtained $3 million in grants to upgrade the County Courthouse. As sheriff, Gary did a marvelous job of walking the fine-line that all law enforcement officers must walk; as both a member and protector of the community. He will be sorely missed by each and every person in the community, but his marvelous contributions will always remain. Mr. Speaker, as a former law enforcement officer, I am well aware of the dangers and hazards our peace officers face today. Gary Cure has dedicated his life to serving and protecting his fellow citizens, working long hours, weekends, and holidays to guarantee their safety and their freedoms, and it is with a great deal of pride and respect that I bring his career to the attention of this body of Congress. Sheriff Gary Cure deserves the thanks of a grateful nation for all of his hard work, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I pay tribute today to Elizabeth Moore, an incredible woman who recently passed away, but whose dedication to the people and animals in her community was both extraordinary and inspirational. Elizabeth selflessly gave her time and energy to her community through her intense love of all living creatures, and was a woman of unquestioned integrity and of unparalleled morality. She will be sorely missed by each and every person whose life she touched, and as her family mourns her loss, I believe it is appropriate to remember Elizabeth and pay tribute to her for her incredible contributions to her city, and her state. Elizabeth and her husband John first came to Colorado's San Luis Valley in 1995 after riding on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. They decided to make the beautiful valley their home, and immediately embarked upon a mission to make it a better place for all to live--even the animals. After arriving in the San Luis Valley, Elizabeth served as the President of the Humane League, dedicating her time to organizing fundraisers for spay and neuter clinics and finding homes for stray cats and dogs. She had a strong conviction that the best way to help the plight of animals in the community was to control the population by spaying and neutering. Her efforts were critical in procuring funds from the Max Fund to assist with low-cost spay/neuter clinics in the community. In addition, she loved the outdoors, and had climbed most of Colorado's highest peaks, inspiring her husband to take up the sport as well. Elizabeth's extraordinary selflessness and dedication to all living things will be sorely missed by everyone that knew her, and by all that benefited from her incredible deeds. Mr. Speaker, we are all terribly saddened by the loss of Elizabeth Moore, but take comfort in the knowledge that our grief is overshadowed only by the legacy of courage, selflessness and love that she left with all of us. Elizabeth Moore's life is the very embodiment of all that makes this country great, and I am deeply honored to be able to bring her life to the attention of this body of Congress.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor a woman whose passion for life and whose incredible human spirit is an inspiration to us all. Mae Schuler, a Grand Junction, Colorado resident, recently passed an impressive milestone, celebrating her one- hundredth birthday with a gathering of her friends and family. I am truly honored to be able to bring the life of such a strong and extraordinary woman to the attention of this body of Congress and this nation. Mae was born the youngest of eight children on March 7, 1902 on a farm in Ontario, Canada. At the age of nineteen, she moved to Detroit, where her sister lived, and met her husband Clarence. While living in Detroit, Clarence went to work selling cars, while Mae raised their baby girl, Jeanne. They survived the Depression by scraping by on the wages that Clarence was able to earn at the local gas station, since people were unable to afford to buy new cars. After Clarence retired in 1968, the couple moved to Palm Beach, Florida, where Mae remained active in the church, participated in a number of crafts groups and grew to love shuffleboard. Seven years and one day after moving to Florida, Clarence passed away peacefully in his sleep. Mae made the best she could of it, choosing to go on with her life and live it with the same vigor and energy that she had always lived it. After living in Florida for another 30 years, Mae moved to Grand Junction in 1998 in order to be closer to her daughter, Jeanne. At 100 years of age, Mae is still going strong. As chronicled in her local newspaper, the Grand Junction Sentinel, she is exceptionally active, both mentally and physically, and still enjoys life to the fullest. She takes time to read to those who can't see as well, knits caps and washcloths for friends, bakes cookies for those who are sick, types personal notes on her old Smith-Corona typewriter, and most importantly, loves to play bingo. She is truly a remarkable woman, who has lived quite a remarkable life. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I bring to the attention of this body of Congress, the life and spirit of such an extraordinary woman, who has always managed to brighten and invigorate the lives of those around her. Mae Schuler is truly an inspiration to all of us, and I, along with the many people whose lives she has touched, am honored to recognize her tremendous accomplishment in reaching her one-hundredth birthday, and more importantly, her passion for life and indomitable human spirit.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the leadership of a member of the Pueblo community who has had an immeasurable effect on the lives of those he has touched. Dennis Flores has spent a lifetime committed to serving his country and the community of Pueblo, Colorado. To reward his efforts, his alma mater, the University of Southern Colorado, has recently bestowed upon him the high honor of Outstanding Alumnus. As Dennis accepts this honor, I would like to commend him on the diligence and commitment he has shown to his community and fellow Coloradans to achieve this recognition. He is a generous soul and I am honored to pay tribute to him before this body of Congress, and this nation. Before Dennis entered college, he served this nation as a member of the U.S. Army Security Agency. With the rating of a top-secret crypto clearance, he served with distinction in Vietnam, receiving both Vietnam Campaign Medals for his outstanding service. After returning to Pueblo, he enrolled at the University of Southern Colorado and graduated with a degree in business management. It was at this time he began to work for SCA Insurance as an insurance agent trainee, and amazingly has continued with the same organization for over thirty years. Today, under his leadership as Senior Vice President and principal, the company serves as a model agency and business in the community. Desiring to further serve his community, Dennis volunteers much of his time and efforts to improving the lives of his fellow residents. He has been a pioneer in developing programs to enhance the Latino community and has served as President of the Latino Chamber of Commerce. Dennis has been instrumental in establishing the Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation to help Latino students afford education and is credited with being an instrumental part in the creation of the El Pueblo Inter-Development Corporation, an innovative loan program created for small businesses. As a result of his dedicated leadership, Dennis has been elected to and served on the board of the Pueblo School District for over eight years. With his help and dedication to improving education, District 60 has been nationally recognized in reading reform, educational assessment, and accountability. Mr. Speaker, it is an incredible honor to represent such a distinguished man as Dennis Flores and be able to bring his achievements to the attention of this body of Congress, and this nation. His generosity, success, and service to his fellow Coloradans serves as a model example of giving back to the community and I would again like to thank him for all that he has done for Pueblo and Colorado. Thanks for all your efforts Dennis and good luck in your future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding individual who has dedicated his life to serve and protect the citizens of this nation. Jerry Vogelsang has faithfully served his fellow countrymen for over fifty years; thirty years in law enforcement and 21 years in intelligence for the federal government. After a long and successful career as one of our nation's finest law enforcement officers, Jerry now resides in Craig, Colorado and I would like to acknowledge his contributions to this country. Jerry began his service to this nation in the armed forces by joining the Navy in 1947. Years later he would go on to work for RCA as a field engineer, later joining the federal government in 1966, and began a long career in the field of intelligence. In 1968 Jerry began to work for the San Diego Sheriff's Department as a reserve officer, where he served for years as a gang unit detective. This position is an assessment to Jerry's excellence as a law enforcement officer; no other reserve officer has ever been assigned to a unit much less one as dangerous and important as a gang unit. Jerry retired from both the federal government and the sheriff's department in the late eighties. Upon retirement, Jerry moved to Colorado but soon found that he was not suited for retirement. Driven by a duty to give back to his community, Jerry has volunteered at the Craig Police Department and the Moffat County Sheriff's department for over ten years. He has offered his experience, expertise and support to these departments and I am confident the force is grateful for his contributions. In addition to his status on the force, Jerry is regarded as a respected pillar of his community, is known as a devout husband, and a proud father of three. Mr. Speaker, as a former law enforcement officer, I am well aware of the dangers and hazards our peace officers face today. These individuals work long hours, weekends, and holidays to guarantee their fellow citizen's rights and protection. They work tirelessly and with great sacrifice to their personal and family lives to ensure our freedoms remain strong in our homes and communities. Their service and dedication deserve the recognition and thanks of this body of Congress, and this is why I bring the name of Jerry Vogelsang to light today. Thank you for all your hard work, Jerry, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise today to recognize the life and contributions of George Thurston of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. George peacefully left us on a Monday, January 11, 2002 at the age of ninety-five. George was a popular member of the community and was often sought by many in the community for his listening ear, advice, and warm smile. He was known as a man of many interests and his foresight into the future needs of his fellow Coloradans is enjoyed throughout the State today. George was a remarkable man and I am honored to bring forth his good deeds and accomplishments before this body of Congress and this nation. Born in Carbondale in 1906, George moved and eventually settled a few miles away Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where he quickly became a great contributor in the Western Slope community. George held many careers throughout his life including work for the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and work on Public Works projects to supply the state with our most valuable commodity, water. In 1940, George was named general manager of Holy Cross Electric Association, a local energy co-op that serves several surrounding communities. Because of his dedication and commitment to his fellow residents, George saw the company grow through the difficult years of World War II, and provide power to areas not served by the larger power companies. Among his greatest visions was the decision to provide several early ski slopes and resorts, including Aspen, with power. His good sense paid off and today the resorts in Vail and Snowmass owe part of their initial gambles to his trust and dedication to advancing his community. Throughout his life, George was well known throughout his community as a leader and dedicated patriarch of his family. Later in his life, George could be found in his favorite place, the Colorado outdoors, enjoying his time at his mountain cabin with family. He is survived by a loving and dedicated wife of almost forty years, Dollie, daughter Karen, stepson Larry, and four grandchildren and two great- grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to George Thurston for the great strides he took in establishing himself as a valuable leader and visionary in the Glenwood Springs community. His dedication to family, friends, work, and the community certainly deserves the recognition of this body of Congress and a grateful nation. Although George has left us, his good-natured spirit lives on through the lives of those he touched. I would like to extend my regrets and deepest sympathies to George's family and friends during their time of bereavement and remembrance. George Thurston was a remarkable man and he will be greatly missed.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the students of Plateau Valley School of Colbran, Colorado and thank them for their dedication to helping the victims of the terrible attacks of September 11th. As we all look for a way to help our nation come through these tragic and difficult times, let the efforts of the Plateau Valley students serve as a model for ways to contribute to this great and worthy endeavor. The children have tirelessly worked to raise funds to assist the victims and I am honored to recognize their achievements before this body of Congress and this nation. Four days after the September 11th attacks on our cities, the students began an effort to raise money to donate to worthy charities in New York City. They began the Pennies for People campaign as way to raise such funding. Accepting pennies at a time, the students have raised the incredible amount of $3,437.31 to donate to the charity of their choice. What charity would receive this donation has been the concern of great speculation by the students for some time. Recently, through a school wide vote, the Children's Feeding Network was designated the recipient of all the students's hard work. Through the charity, the donated funds will provide the necessary essentials to children who have lost parents in the World Trade Center attack. This is a wonderful charity directly assisting those in need and I am proud Plateau Valley Middle School has selected Children's Family Network as the recipient of their efforts. Mr. Speaker it gives me great pleasure to recognize the students of Plateau Valley School and commend them for their desire to assist their fellow citizens. They have shown great kindness and compassion through their efforts and I am honored to represent them before this body of Congress today. Their dedication and commitment to a noble cause have brought great credit to themselves, their community, and a thankful nation. I would like to extend to them a thank you, good luck, and keep up their hard work because all of you have made a difference in these children's lives.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding group of dedicated young men from Montezuma- Cortez High School in Cortez, Colorado. The group is the boys basketball team and for the first time in the school's last forty years, a sports team has taken home a State championship. This championship is the culmination of months of dedication and hard work and I am honored to bring their accomplishment before this body of Congress and this nation. This championship team has dedicated long and strenuous hours in training and competing for this high honor. They entered the championship as underdogs to win the State Class 4A Tournament, but kept their spirits high, and diligently competed with the surrounding schools for this top honor. Their dedication, self-sacrifice, and honest commitment to achieving their goal have led this group of young men into Montezuma-Cortez High School history. I am also grateful to the surrounding community and supporting student body that over the years have remained by the sides of these young athletes, no matter what their record or standing. Local support is the backbone of any great endeavor and I am proud this community has repeatedly risen to the challenge. I would be remiss if I did not congratulate two final people whose guidance and leadership had much to do with this winning season and ultimate State title, Head Coach Wade Mortensen and Assistant Head Coach Bob Archibeque. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the accomplishments of those who have dedicated their time and efforts to achieving a difficult goal. The Panthers of Montezuma-Cortez High School have made great sacrifices in their lives and have done a remarkable job representing their school, their community, and the State of Colorado. They have proven that hard work and dedication to a dream can ultimately lead to the final victory. Good luck in your future, gentleman, and I look forward to watching your next season with esteemed pride and admiration.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise today to recognize the life and contributions of Karen Adams of Pueblo, Colorado, who peacefully left us in February. Karen was a popular member and leader of the community and was often sought by many for her listening ear, advice, and warm smile. She struggled in a long battle with cancer, and as her family mourns her loss, I would like to take this opportunity to bring forth her accomplishments and gentle kindness before this body of Congress and this nation. As a dedicated resident and business owner of the Pueblo community, Karen was often at the forefront of improving her surroundings. She, along with husband William, proudly operated Sunscapes Rare Plant Nursery, a successful horticulture business in the area. Remarkably, Karen managed to run this business while raising a family that appreciated and valued the importance of hard work, honor, and perseverance. She raised her sons Greg, Mark, Will and daughter Beth to be respectful individuals who are determined to succeed in their pursuits. Karen's influence touched many lives outside of her immediate family and she was known as a loving friend to many. Karen was a true lover of the outdoors and could often be found improving her natural surroundings. She was often spotted along the highway or interstate cleaning and beautifying the area and eventually founded the Pueblo Clean Community Commission in the 1970s. She could be found improving the appearance of the city by lending her time and energy to beautifying several sites with rock gardens to improve their aesthetic appearances. She contributed to her community as a member of several wonderful organizations including the Pueblo Zoological Society, the Historical Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo Foundation, and was a horticulturist at the Pueblo Zoo. Her efforts and leadership to improving her community and its residents are remarkable and they will indeed be missed by a grateful community. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute Karen Adams and the great strides she took in establishing herself as a valuable leader in the Pueblo community. Her dedication to family, friends, work, environment, and the community certainly deserves the recognition of this body of Congress and a grateful nation. Although Karen has left us, her good- natured spirit lives on through the lives of those she touched. I would like to extend my regrets and deepest sympathies to Karen's family and friends during this difficult time of remembrance and bereavement.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Don Peach and thank him for his extraordinary contributions to the town of Rangely. His dedication as Mayor to both his job and the people of Rangely is matched only by the level of integrity and honesty with which he has conducted himself each and every day while at his post. As Mayor, he will always be remembered as a man with the utmost dedication and talent, and will continue to be known as a leader in the community. As he celebrates his retirement, let it be known that I, along with each and every person with whom he has worked and the people of Rangely, are eternally grateful for all that he has accomplished in his distinguished tenure. When Don arrived in Rangely, the town was mired in financial difficulties, and he quickly set out to turn things around. He effectively reduced property taxes, implemented numerous successful grant programs and tightened the accounting reins by emphasizing strict financial administration. Also upon his arrival, plans were already in the offing to build the Desperado Mine, which was projected to bring an additional 35,000 people to the town. At the time, Rangely was ill prepared to accommodate such a massive influx of people, but Don successfully built up the infrastructure to handle the increased population. In order to house the new workers, he acquired land from the Bureau of Land Management for the La Mesa Development, and subsequently began a number of housing programs. He also initiated a program of utility plant expansions in order to provide the necessary power and infrastructure for the town. Don was also a strong advocate of bolstering community pride. He succeeded in changing residents' attitudes toward their town through the implementation of a town-wide beautification project. Through numerous grants and support from the town council, a Center Square was built, downtown facades were refurbished, an adopt-a-tree program was put in place, and street, curb and sidewalk improvements were initiated. He was also a strong advocate of community development, creating the Rangely Development Agency and the Rangely Development Corporation, as well as putting in place a number of development regulations in the town. He also established the Foundation for Public Giving and has worked tirelessly on the Rangely Museum Project. Don is presently working on the Rangely School Foundation, which he helped to create and fund, and is also active in a number of other organizations. He serves on the Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council, which he has chaired for several years, is a board member of the Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce, the CNCC Foundation and the Rangely Museum Society, and serves on the University of Colorado Business Community Council. I have personally had the opportunity to work with Don in his capacity as Mayor and as chair of the Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council, and have always been astounded at his hard work and dedication. Needless to say, Don is a genuine philanthropist and an extraordinary public servant. - Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Don Peach is a man of unparalleled dedication and commitment to his professional endeavors, his philanthropic endeavors and to the people of his community. It is his unrelenting passion for each and every thing he does, as well as his spirit of honesty and integrity with which he has always conducted himself, that I wish to bring before this body of Congress. He is a remarkable man, who has achieved extraordinary things in his career and for his community. It is my privilege to extend to him my congratulations on his retirement as Mayor of the town of Rangely, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate an outstanding individual from my state whose hard work and dedication to her field has produced awards and accolades throughout her medical community. Dr. Erin Elster, a chiropractic researcher from Boulder, Colorado, has just received perhaps the highest honor in her field, as she has been named the World Chiropractic Alliance's 2001 Researcher of the Year. Erin's research will produce extraordinary advances throughout her medical community and I am honored to bring forth her accomplishments before this body of Congress and this nation. For the last several years, Erin has conducted research that could have momentous possibilities for those who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis. Erin found that certain corrections in upper neck injuries may be able to reverse the progression of Multiple Sclerosis. Her findings were published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, a trade magazine available to the medical community discussing advances and techniques in specific medical fields. The publication has created worldwide interest for her research into vertebrae difficulties and how they affect the nervous system. Her findings are so impressive and remarkable that as a result, the World Chiropractic Alliance has decided to honor her for her breakthrough findings. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Dr. Erin Elster is a woman of unparalleled dedication and commitment to her professional endeavors and to the people of her medical community. Her research efforts have the potential to alter and improve all of our lives and I am honored to bring forth her accomplishments before this body of Congress and this nation. She is a remarkable woman who has achieved extraordinary things in her career and it is my privilege to extend to her my congratulations on her selection as Researcher of the Year, and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to a matriarch and true friend of the Grand Junction, Colorado community. Vernie E. Enstrom recently passed away at the age of 97, and as her family mourns the loss, I would like to take this moment to bring forth her good deeds and accomplishments before this body of Congress and this nation. Vernie was a remarkable woman and I am honored to tell her story. To many Coloradans, Vernie E. Enstrom will forever be remembered as the co-founder of Enstrom's Candy Company, a company she started along with her late husband Chet in 1960. Vernie and Chet arrived in the City of Grand Junction in 1929 to originally establish the Jones-Enstrom Ice Cream Company. Using their combined knowledge from the business, the two started Enstrom's Candy, which today serves as a local icon and model company in the State of Colorado. Throughout her life, Vernie was well known through her community as a leader and dedicated matriarch of her family. During her life, Vernie enjoyed the pleasure of her dearest passion, music, and was often found singing, as well as playing the piano and organ. In her time with Chet, who later became a state senator, she was always his loyal companion who supported and prodded him to success in his business, political, and personal endeavors. She was the dedicated mother of her daughter Ann and son Emil whose daughter Jamee and husband Doug today are the proud operators of Enstrom's Candy. She is further survived and remembered by six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to Vernie E. Enstrom for the great strides she took in establishing herself as a valuable leader in the Grand Junction community. Her dedication to family, friends, work, and the community certainly deserves the recognition of this body of Congress and a grateful nation. Although Vernie has left us, her good-natured spirit lives on through the lives of those she touched. I would like to extend my regrets and deepest sympathies to Vernie's family and friends during their time of bereavement and remembrance. She was a remarkable woman and she will be greatly missed.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I pay tribute today to an incredible family, whose lives were so tragically cut short, but whose spirit will remain with us for eternity. Kent Rickenbaugh, his wife Caroline and his son Bart, were not only successful in their business and philanthropic endeavors, but were also pillars of the Denver community who garnered the undying admiration and respect of so many through their unquestioned integrity and unparalleled morality. Each of them will be sorely missed by the multitudes of people whose lives they have touched, and as we mourn their loss, I believe it is appropriate to remember each of them and pay tribute to them for the extraordinary contributions they have made to their city, their state and their country. Kent began working at his father's Cadillac dealership shortly after graduating from Dartmouth College at the age of 22. He rotated through each division of the dealership before being named assistant to his father, Ralph, who founded the Denver Better Business Bureau in 1951. Kent dedicated himself and his career to protecting commerce in downtown Denver. Even as other businesses and car dealerships fled downtown for the roomier suburbs, Kent vowed to remain in the same neighborhood where his father had started the dealership. He truly believed in supporting the socio-economic interests of downtown Denver, and argued that it was not good business to abandon downtown. While his business always remained downtown, Kent's love of the outdoors and of the West often allowed him to escape to his other life, as a rancher on his 1,100 acre ranch outside Gunnison. He truly loved everything about our great state--both the beauty and the commerce--and his passion for each will be greatly missed. Caroline, Kent's wife of 40 years, was an exceptional woman in her own right. After the death in 1963 of their infant daughter Selby, who suffered from a heart defect and was cared for at Children's Hospital, Caroline devoted herself to the hospital, helping to raise millions of dollars for its betterment. In 1999, Caroline and Kent endowed a chair in cardiology in her name, and from 1995 to 1997, Caroline co-chaired the campaign to build a new wing for the hospital. The endeavor turned out to be the largest fundraising effort in the hospital's history, raising over $15 million. In addition, she was instrumental in the effort to move the Children's Hospital to the University of Colorado's new health sciences center campus in Aurora. Caroline's deep love for children and for humanity touched the lives of innumerable families who, because of her philanthropy, were able to receive top-notch medical care from one of the finest children's hospitals in the nation. Bart Rickenbaugh, the only son of Caroline and Kent, followed in his parents footsteps as a caring and selfless man, who enriched the lives of everyone around him. As a husband, father and son, his deep love of family was the hallmark of his life. He was an avid sportsman and outdoorsman who loved to play hockey, ski, hunt and run. He was a four- year rugby player at Dartmouth College, and a former saddle bronc rider with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He moved from Denver to Bozeman two years ago, where he became a real estate lawyer. Bart is survived by his wife, Lisa, and children, Sam and Lila. The Rickenbaughs are survived by their two daughters, Anne Rickenbaugh of Aspen and Katherine Rich of Carbondale, who will undoubtedly carry on the traditions of selflessness and love that have long been the hallmark of this extraordinary family. Mr. Speaker, we are all terribly saddened by the loss of Kent, Caroline and Bart Rickenbaugh, but take comfort in the knowledge that our grief is overshadowed only by the legacy of courage, success and love that each of them left with all of us. Their lives are the very embodiment of all that makes this country great, and I am deeply honored to be able to bring each of them to the attention of this body of Congress. The memories and manifestations of the Rickenbaugh family's many contributions to the people of Denver will never fade, and I, along with each and every person whose lives were touched by this extraordinary family, will forever appreciate all that they have done for our great State.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I pay tribute today to Elizabeth Moore, an incredible woman who recently passed away, but whose dedication to the people and animals in her community was both extraordinary and inspirational. Elizabeth selflessly gave her time and energy to her community through her intense love of all living creatures, and was a woman of unquestioned integrity and of unparalleled morality. She will be sorely missed by each and every person whose life she touched, and as her family mourns her loss, I believe it is appropriate to remember Elizabeth and pay tribute to her for her incredible contributions to her city, and her state. Elizabeth and her husband John first came to Colorado's San Luis Valley in 1995 after riding on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. They decided to make the beautiful valley their home, and immediately embarked upon a mission to make it a better place for all to live--even the animals. After arriving in the San Luis Valley, Elizabeth served as the President of the Humane League, dedicating her time to organizing fundraisers for spay and neuter clinics and finding homes for stray cats and dogs. She had a strong conviction that the best way to help the plight of animals in the community was to control the population by spaying and neutering. Her efforts were critical in procuring funds from the Max Fund to assist with low-cost spay/neuter clinics in the community. In addition, she loved the outdoors, and had climbed most of Colorado's highest peaks, inspiring her husband to take up the sport as well. Elizabeth's extraordinary selflessness and dedication to all living things will be sorely missed by everyone that knew her, and by all that benefited from her incredible deeds. Mr. Speaker, we are all terribly saddened by the loss of Elizabeth Moore, but take comfort in the knowledge that our grief is overshadowed only by the legacy of courage, selflessness and love that she left with all of us. Elizabeth Moore's life is the very embodiment of all that makes this country great, and I am deeply honored to be able to bring her life to the attention of this body of Congress.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor an extraordinary man whose passion for life and incredible human spirit is an inspiration to us all. Ted Diaz, a native Coloradan whose passion for our great state is as constant and unyielding as any I've ever known, recently passed an impressive milestone, celebrating his eightieth birthday with a gathering of his friends and family. Ted was born on April 1st, 1922 in Delta, Colorado, as one of twelve siblings. He attended school in Silt, Colorado, and later moved to Rifle, where he currently resides. Throughout his life, he has been the consummate athlete and good citizen, winning accolades in basketball, softball, bowling and horseshoes, while always giving his time and energy to the community as a mentor and a friend. He coached the town's American Legion baseball team, as well as the girls' town team, and umpired high school games in both the spring and summer. For 27 years, he selflessly gave his time to the community by marking the football field for high school games, and by volunteering to run the yard marker. In addition, he valiantly served in the U.S. Army from his station in the Philippines. While working for Re-2 for 27 years, Ted was also involved in a number of philanthropic activities. He is a member of the Elks, Knights of Columbus and American Legion, and served as commander of American Legion and VFW. In addition, he volunteers his time at preschool in Rifle and in Glenwood Springs. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment, however, was marrying Jo, his lovely wife of 52 years, and raising their son. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I bring to the attention of this body of Congress, the life and spirit of such an incredible man, who is always able to brighten and invigorate the lives of those around him. He is truly an inspiration to all of us, and I, along with the many people whose lives he has touched, am honored to recognize his tremendous accomplishment in reaching his eightieth birthday, and more importantly, his passion for life and indomitable spirit.