Marty Meehan

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to honor a true hero, Marine Corporal David M. Vicente, who gave his life in service to this country in Iraq. Corporal Vicente was a resident of Methuen, Massachusetts; and he was deployed with the brave men and women serving in our Armed Forces as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. David arrived in Iraq just 2 weeks ago; and he died tragically on March 19, 2004, when a Humvee in which he was patrolling hit a land mine near the town of Hit, Iraq. David had just celebrated his 25th birthday and was newly engaged to his beloved girlfriend, Alexandria. His friends and family recalled David's knack for fixing things and a fondness for all things mechanical, from remote-control racing cars to his Chevrolet short-bed pickup truck. Since he was a small child, David Vicente knew what he wanted to be, a United States Marine. While his friends dressed in overalls and T- shirts, David grew up wearing fatigues and combat boots. His friends at Greater Lawrence Technical School never doubted him when David would declare, One day, I want to be a Marine. David's dream came true when he joined the Marine Corps 6 months prior to the September 11 terrorist attacks on our Nation. He trained as a rifleman while based at Twenty-nine Palms, California, and rose to serve his country valiantly and faithfully as a corporal with the 2nd battalion of the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. David's parents, Orlando and Celeste, are proud of their son, not just for the supreme sacrifice he made on behalf of his country, but for the honor he brought to them as a Marine. The bumper sticker on the family's car affirms their pride, ``My son is a United States Marine.'' One morning following the tragedy of September 11, Celeste Vicente discovered someone had draped an American flag over their family car. She felt that it was not only touched by her son's service but wanted to honor all of our troops for their courageous efforts on our behalf. I spoke to Celeste today, and like so many other parents of soldiers who have lost their lives, she expressed concerns about her son and other soldiers not having the equipment, the gear, the technology that they need. I told her today that I am going to work with other Members of the Congress to make sure that we get what our troops need immediately. Today, I have also requested an American flag be flown over the United States Capitol in memory of Corporal David Vicente to honor his brave service to this country. This flag will be delivered to his family. David died fighting for the country he loved, alongside comrades that he respected and with the family he adored forever in his heart. Our Nation is humbled and grateful for his sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, we should all take a moment to recognize Corporal David M. Vicente, United States Marine Corps, who gave his life in service to the country he loved.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, that is precisely why I could not vote for it. We were supposed to have this money appropriated. We have troops over there in unarmed vehicles. It is inexcusable.

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and it is unfortunate that this resolution has become so political because I think clearly all of us should have been able to sit down and come up with a resolution that would be united and that would send a clear voice to all of the world how much we support our troops. We are going to have 4 hours of debate, and there are so many important things we should be discussing, like the fact that we failed to provide our troops with critical protection and equipment that they need, from interceptive body armor to anti-jamming devices, to armored humvees. Yesterday, I met with Brian Hart, the father of Private First Class John Hart who was killed in Iraq last October when the unarmored humvee that he was patrolling in was ambushed and sprayed with bullets. Just days before his death, Pfc. Hart called his father and told him how unsafe he felt riding around in humvees that lacked bulletproof shielding or reinforced doors. The story of John Hart is all too familiar. A couple of months ago, the Defense Department stated that 29 American troops had been killed and 290 wounded on attacks on humvees. Now I hear they are not even tracking those numbers anymore, but I do know that of the 18 soldiers killed in Iraq from Massachusetts, 6 died in unarmored humvees or trucks. Look at this chart. Almost 80 percent of the 12,500 humvees deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom lack reinforced windows and doors. The evidence here is overwhelming that we have not gotten what our troops need fast enough. And what bothers me is that the Army did not even begin to address this shortage until August 2003, 3 months after President Bush announced the end of the war in Iraq. The Secretary of the Army says that they will get this done by August; but as of today no new orders have been placed, leaving our troops, many of them, in this vulnerable position, in unarmed vehicles. August just is not good enough. For too long, the Army has dragged its feet because it failed to consider quick, effective alternatives to uparmoring Humvees like installing add-on armor kits. If we purchased more add-on kits and reached out to other vendors, we can get these Humvees armored now. Recently, 25,000 Marines deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and took with them 3,000 trucks and Humvees, all of which have been armored with protective plating. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Hagee, understood that installing temporary add-on kits provides a quick, easy alternative to uparmoring Humvees in depots at home. So Gen. Hagee purchased $9 million worth of add-on armor kits to outfit Humvees before he sent his Marines back into the battlefield. I have introduced a resolution urging the Defense Department to use whatever means possible to armor these Humvees as quickly as they can. If we truly want to support our Armed Forces, this would provide them with the critical protection and equipment they deserve!

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the American Legacy Foundation as they celebrate their 5th Anniversary. Founded on March 4, 1999 as a result of the historic Master Settlement Agreement between the attorneys general of 40 states and the tobacco industry, the foundation is committed to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Thanks to the American Legacy Foundation and other life-saving organizations that work every day to prevent our young people from starting to smoke and help those already addicted to successfully quit, youth smoking prevalence in the U.S. has hit its lowest level in nearly three decades. The American Legacy Foundation is best known for its award winning truth youth counter marketing campaign. With its blunt messaging and frank approach, truth has been cited as one of the reasons behind sharp declines in youth tobacco use. The foundation's programs also extend beyond youth. Circle of Friends creates circles of support around women who want to quit; Great Start helps provide information and counseling to pregnant women about the risks of tobacco use during pregnancy and the earliest days of a baby's life; and the foundation's Priority Populations Program focuses on minorities and other groups that are disproportionately harmed by tobacco use. I urge my colleagues to join me today in celebrating five years of accomplishment by the American Legacy Foundation and hope that you will work with me to ensure that organizations like the Legacy Foundation are able to continue their critical work to protect our nation from tobacco's deadly toll.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, Edward H. ``Ned'' Schwarz, 74, of Lawrence, Boy Scout leader, veteran, businessman, father, and friend to his home town of Lawrence, Massachusetts, died February 1, 2004. A graduate of Melrose High School, he attended MIT for 2 years then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served stateside during the Korean conflict. He completed his degree in electrical engineering from Merrimack College after his time in the Air Force and went on to work at the former Western Electric in North Andover as an electrical design engineer. After taking an early retirement he opened the Totem Pole Camping Store in North Andover. He was a man of faith and was a 45-year member of the former United Presbyterian Church of Lawrence where he was an ordained Elder. These are the eloquent words of Charles D. Boddy, Jr. who read this eulogy at the funeral: Daniel Webster once compared New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountains to a tradesman's sign hanging above the front door of a store indicating the nature of the tradesman's trade. He stated that God had hung out the Old Man of the Mountains as if to say, ``here we build men.'' It is, therefore, oddly fitting that we should lose Uncle Ned, another icon of the mountains, within a year of the fall of the Old Man. Uncle Ned was himself, a builder of men. Monday nights, 7-9 p.m., first three Mondays of the month, September to June. For more than 40 years, if you were a boy growing up on Prospect Hill in Lawrence, these nights were reserved. Fathers in the neighborhood packed up their young sons and brought them to Uncle Ned who spent these hours nurturing the boys' resourcefulness and self-reliance through the scouting program. I am fortunate to have been one of those boys, and my words speak for all of us. I well remember sitting with him, as a boy, as he taught me my knots. His thick fingers routinely tracing the course of rope as they had done so many times with so many other scouts before me. The process of making the knot was so ingrained in him from years of practice, rehearsal, and repetition. Later, as a young scout leader I watched again as he taught another boy the lesson, now his fingers slightly gnarled by the faint touch of arthritis that, alone, betrayed his age. As I watched him teach, year after year, I myself learned that his lesson was not one of knots, but one of life. By patiently guiding each scout, he let him know that he mattered, he was important. By teaching the simple lessons, he instructed us that the greatest lesson was personal contact: that a communion of souls could bridge the greatest of differences. Hence, you will see among his scouts and admirers members of every creed and race, followers of every cause, the elite and powerful, as well as the simple and humble. Uncle Ned related to us all. He effortlessly collected friends along his journey. He was a mentor to all the boys who passed through his scout troop, growing with them, changing his methods as the times changed, but always giving generously of his time and himself. He was a man who saw solutions not problems, and saw friends, never enemies. In the highly political climate of his home City, he followed the path to improve us through unity and friendship, through our commonality, and avoided the thorny path of criticism and divisiveness. Without a doubt, Uncle Ned has returned to the camp in the highest summit from which he started his 74 year hike. He rests at a camp made safe by the Great Scoutmaster in the Heavens. Boss Buthmann, Troop 2's first scoutmaster, along with all of Troop 2's finest, who have passed before, are at his side. He has marked his final trail with the scout orienteer's sign of a dot within a circle indicating ``Gone home.'' There he sits, and there he waits, tending a roaring fire. Uncle Ned, the faithful Scoutmaster will guide and guard his troop until the last of us is safe at home by his side. Ned Schwarz was very proud of Charlie Boddy, the young man who delivered the eulogy at his memorial service, as he was of all his scouts. Charlie went on to public service following Ned's example of public service and civic duty becoming City Solicitor for Lawrence, Massachusetts. Besides spending countless hours with his beloved scouts, Ned worked tirelessly to revitalize his neighborhood and his hometown. Ned led graffiti removal efforts, park clean-ups and helped to organize the annual National Night Out celebration for his Prospect Hill neighborhood. He belonged to numerous civic organizations including the Lawrence Historical Commission, the Lawrence Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, and the Prospect Hill Back Bay Neighborhood Association, in which he served in various leadership positions over the years along with his dear friend, Jim Ross. The two of them took great pride in constructing the Neighborhood Association's parade floats which won numerous awards. Edward H. ``Ned'' Schwarz will be remembered by his loving wife Gloria, his wife of 50 years; sons Edward R. and his wife Julie of Salem, N.H., and Erich H. and his wife Amy of Lawrence; daughters Lynn and her husband Edward McNamara of Merrimack, N.H., and Beverly and her husband John Cody of Haverhill; grandchildren John, Christopher and Catherine McNamara, Emily Schwarz, Tom and Dan Cody and Andrew and Nysa Schwarz; sisters Dorothy Gretchen Perkins and Hope Cox of Maine; and several nieces and nephews; a grateful City and thousands of young men whose lives he touched.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to make the point that one of the reasons why I was able to brave the cold weather was because I was wearing Malden Mills Polar Tec, which is a great product that you and I have worked together to try to help that company. That is why I was so warm during those games because I had Malden Mills Polar Tec, manufactured right in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley) for yielding. And when I was over at my office and you were praising the fans who had braved the cold weather those two playoff games, I said he must be talking about me. I have been a season ticket holder since 1986. So I wanted to come to the floor and join you in giving credit to this outstanding organization. And the interesting thing about it is when Robert Kraft and his family bought this franchise, they were literally headed to St. Louis. In fact, the Kraft family could have made a lot of money simply by allowing a group of investors from St. Louis to buy out his interest in the stadium and in the contract that the team had with the stadium at that time. I also want to congratulate the Kraft family for the outstanding organization that they have set up, and also Coach Belichick. It is interesting there are a lot of people that criticize Bob Kraft, who went out and gave up draft choices in order to get Bill Belichick away from the New York Jets. And a lot of my colleagues who were Jets fans thought they had gotten a great deal because they got draft choices. And Bill Belichick has done an outstanding job in terms of fostering team work. This is a team that gets introduced before games as a team. I think all of us see in professional sports a lot of things that we do not necessarily like, the sort of ``me generation'' of individuals getting all the credit. That does not happen on this team. And I think that sports leagues across America could learn a lot by looking at the success of this team, the fact that so few players made the Pro Bowl. And, finally, the individual players on that team, starting with their quarterback, they exemplify the best. I know I had an opportunity to be at the White House when Tom Brady was there. A lot of people thought it was a political thing. It was not a political thing. The Patriots players contribute to the community. They are involved in the community day in and day out. And I was proud that Tom Brady was here that evening for the State of the Union. And I am looking at next year. As my colleague acknowledged, we have two picks in the first round, two picks in the second round, one pick in third round, and two picks in the fourth round. It seems to me that we have the opportunity to have a top-notch team each and every year. I probably have more information that we could go on. But I am glad that this resolution is before the House.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I was saddened to learn of the death of former Congressman Nicholas Mavroules, a dedicated public servant, leader, and family man. At the funeral service for Congressman Mavroules on December 30, 2003, at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church in Peabody, Massachusetts, Mr. deLeon delivered an eloquent tribute to Congressman Mavroules that touched me and all others who were present. He described the lifelong dedication that Congressman Mavroules gave to his beloved family, friends, colleagues, and constituents in Massachusetts, and his devoted service to this country. Rudy deLeon's touching eulogy to Congressman Mavroules should be of interest to all of us. I ask that it be submitted to the Record. His Eminence, Metropolitan Methodios; Current and former Members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation: Congressman Tierney, Congressman Neal, Congressman Meehan, former Congressman Harrington--Then as now, one of the most capable delegations in the Congress. On behalf of the family of Nicholas Mavroules--his wife of 53 years, Mary--his daughters Debbie, Gail and Brenda and their families--and the other family, friends, colleagues and constituents--I would like to thank you for remembering and honoring a remarkable man. A man of family; a man of community; and, a man of public service. Nick began his political career in the late 1950's, and I once asked--did you ever meet John F. Kennedy. He responded, ``yes, Senator John F. Kennedy.'' His daughter--very young daughter Gail--was with him. Her response, ``Dad, that man should run for Mayor of Peabody.'' In 1978, Nick Mavroules would be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving the 6th Congressional District of Massachusetts for 14 years. But it was in the 1980's, serving on the Armed Services Committee, where Nick would have his greatest impact. The decade began with the inauguration of Ronald Reagan as the 40th President of the United States. It ended when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, followed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991--ending communist rule in Russia. In between was one incredible debate--and, of course--Nick Mavroules was right in the center. Along the way there were discussions of human rights in Central America, nuclear disarmament, Pentagon accountability, and the morale and welfare of U.S. troops. In the course of his service, he would join and lead the debate--both in the Nation's Capital and on the North Shore-- about the direction and course of our nation. The debate would take Nick to many places: 1981: Visit with U.S. forces in Germany. 1982: Northern Ireland. 1983: Two trips to Beirut, Lebanon. The first to spend July 4th with the troops; the second to lead an Armed Services Committee investigative team after 283 U.S. Marines were killed in a terrorist bombing during a peacekeeping mission at the Beirut International Airport. In the Committee's final report of December 1983, Nick would write, ``A war of terrorism has begun and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.'' 1985: A session with U.S. negotiators in Geneva--center of talks with the Soviet Union on nuclear weapons. He would meet with President Reagan in the Oval Office after this trip. 1986: San Salvador, El Salvador. A meeting with the Jesuit's at the University of Central America--priests would later be assassinated in their rectory. 1987: Baghdad, Iraq; Kuwait City; Taif, Saudi Arabia: An inspection delegation to review the security of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war. Most notable was a vigorous session in Baghdad with the Foreign Minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz, on Iraq's use of chemical weapons in its war with Iran. 1988: As an emissary of the U.S. State Department, Nick engaged in a private dialogue with Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, providing a framework that produced the current U.S.-Greece agreement on military bases. 1989: Appointment to the House Select Committee on Intelligence, performing oversight of the CIA and other elements of the intelligence community. Nick's input: to require that intelligence be accessible to the U.S. forces deployed and at risk. During this time, he was also engaged in the significant legislative work on national security that included: The 1986 Defense Reorganization--the Goldwater-Nichols Act--that fundamentally restructured military command and control--so that troops serving in high-threat combat and peacekeeping missions--would have a responsive and dynamic military chain of command. Implementation of the Packard Commission recommendations to reform Pentagon acquisition practices. Legislation that limited the deployment of nuclear ballistic missiles, and ensuring that missile defense technology be treaty compliant. Funding for the Navy's F-18 fighter, powered by GE engines from Lynn. Twenty years later the F-18 remains as the backbone of Naval Aviation; And, the Small Disadvantaged Business Act that allowed more American citizens to compete in government contracting. Throughout his service in Congress, Nick would earn the respect and trust of his colleagues. From Massachusetts: Senators Ted Kennedy, Paul Tsongas and John Kerry, Speaker Tip O'Neill, Joe Moakley, Ed Markey and Jim Shannon, Barney Frank and Joe Kennedy. And other Members of Congress, including Sam Nunn, Barry Goldwater, John Glenn, Les Aspin, Sam Stratton, Bill Nichols and Beverly Byron. His colleagues in Congress would conclude this about Nick Mavroules: He was always a gentleman. He was always well prepared. And, he always kept his word. But, no matter the challenge in Congress, the highlight of each week would be Nick's return home to Mary and the girls. From his daughters and grandchildren came these comments: Grandson Michael: He told me stories of himself in my place to lift my spirit; He never said, ``No, Forget it, don't bother'' or anything to that degree when I told him about my goals in my life I wish to go by; Any time I ever spent with him was always a good time no matter what the situation or event was; You were always there for me no matter what the situation was. The worst thing in my life was to see you go. I love you with all my heart and I always will. Grandson Matthew: Taking me on my daily paper route. Calling me to make sure that I was ready to be picked up. You would say, ``Can you believe I went from a Congressman to a paper boy. I went from being chauffeured to chauffeuring. Telling me never to forget our roots or where you came from. Son-in-law Wayne: You weren't just a husband, dad or grandfather you were a best friend. You really had to feel very special to be Nick's friend. To Kristen and Nicholas, you just weren't a Papou but more likely considered a dad to them. Stories of baseball and basketball when you played but as he told his stories, he told the grandchildren not to do what he did. When he watched the Red Sox and Patriots blow a game was so comical. If they pulled it out and won he would say ``there's not a better team. Aren't they great!'' Grandson Jon: ``No bird soars too high, if it soars with its own wings''--This could mean so many different things to many different people but it only means one thing when it comes to my mind. Everything that my grandfather taught and showed me in my life comes down to one thing. You will be most successful in life if you do things on your own and with some guidance of people who are close to you. Words cannot express how much love I will continue to have for my grandfather and how proud I am to say that my grandfather was Nicholas Mavroules. Daughter Gail: Calling the boys over to your house when your clicker didn't work, remote controls, setting up your phone, TV, voice mail, teaching you all your buttons in your new car, and how proud you were of them because they had the knowledge of technology. How you would call us everyday from D.C. to check on us and how you would know from the tone of our voices if we were fine or not. You knew us like books. Warning the Capital Security and House Members when your grandchildren came to visit. How they would run through the halls going into other members, offices until they found you. Discussing at dinner and everyone taking turns including you and Ma. What was the best and worst part of everyone's day. How you loved that. I will forever miss your kindness, your smile, the warmth and softness of your hands, your guidance, loyalty, your love and affection, support but most of all being our champion and tower of strength. You taught us values to live by. In our lives you were bigger than life, you made us so proud and we will always live in your extraordinary legacy. You're our mentor and now our guardian angel. I love and thank you with all of my heart which you took a piece of with you and hope it lives within you as your soul will with me. Daughter Brenda: I will always treasure these special times we shared. There wasn't anything that we didn't discuss. You always said the right things. You were my dad, hero, and friend. God needed an angel in heaven, and he took you, but he also took a special part of me. I wish everyone had the opportunity to be blessed with two beautiful parents like I was. I will miss you buddy and will love you always. Daughter Debbie: You were my dad and my tower of strength. When I was weak you were my strength. You were my sports buddy every week during a Pats game or a Red Sox game, and if we weren't watching them together I would be on the phone with you at least five times. I started every morning by hearing you answer the phone. ``Hello Deb, what are you doing Dad? Having coffee and toast and reading the papers by starting with the sports section first.'' You were a father to my children who adored you. You fought tooth and nail for us and always said no one will ever abuse you and the kids again. What a price you paid for our freedom. That's what Nick Mavroules was all about. The kindest, most caring, and loving individual who never forgot where he came from. That's my dad, our dad. Even from a sick hospital bed he always said take care of your mother and take care of the kids and each other and always stay together as one. Thank you for your endless love and family values. Son in Law Phil: When I first met your daughter you did not trust me. Who was this ``Irish guy taking out my daughter.'' Our first date, Brenda had to be home by ten o'clock PM until you trusted me with your little girl. Once I was ``cleared'' you welcomed me with open arms. On my first trip to Washington I was in awe of how many of the police officers, wait staff and regular people knew Nick and he knew them. He always treated them with the same respect as he did the Head of State. Nick you were a ``class act.'' Nick, I remember the birth of David. Once again you were sharing your life for others. I know when you called from the Navy ship you were so proud. David and you developed a very special relationship. David idolized you and relished the opportunity to spend time with ``Pap.'' Alexis, what can I say. She is the only one who could convince the former Chairman of the Armed Services' Intelligence Committee to be a student who needed to complete his ``dot to dot'' assignment. Both David and Alexis loved their Papou. You were their hero and both of them will truly miss you. Nick, I thank you for the opportunity to marry your daughter. I knew from the start that I could never be the number one man in Brenda's life. That spot was reserved for you. I can only try to live up to your standards. I will try my best to take care of your daughter and grandchildren. Granddaughter Alexis: Papou was Alexis's favorite student. He was her ``dot to dot'' champ. Alexis told Papou when he came home from the hospital she would allow him to be the principal. Alexis and Papou had a special code, on every hour Alexis had to give Papou a kiss. Papou these kisses will never stop. When you feel tiny lips on your cheek, it's me still loving you. You will always live on in my heart Papou. I love you. Grandson David: You helped me and you guided me through good and bad. I remember when I had social studies homework and it was about the government. I would call Papou and ask him and he would help me. We used to hang out together, talk about his past, talk about the economy, and why things happen. I loved spending time together and you don't know how much I loved it. You were my best buddy and my pal. I will miss you and I will cherish you forever and ever. I love you Papou. (Conclusion) Nicholas Mavroules left us on Christmas morning. We will remember him. And, we will miss him. But, we can all find consolation in an angel's Christmas morning blessing found in the Gospel of Luke: ``Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'' With God's blessing, we say peace to our friend Nick Mavroules.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me this time, and I thank the chairman of the committee as well as the gentlewoman from California, the author of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong support for House Concurrent Resolution 83, a resolution honoring those who were deliberately and systematically killed by the Khmer Rouge regime. I want to pay my solemn respects to those who lost their lives and to the survivors and their loved ones, so many of whom reside in my district and in Massachusetts and who carry the scars to this day. The Cambodian genocide was one of the darkest chapters in human history. In April of 1975, Pol Pot led the Khmer Rouge in a brutal insurgency against the Cambodian government in an effort to wipe out traditional Khmer culture and society. Over the next 4 years, the Khmer Rouge orchestrated the calculated destruction of the Cambodian people through forced labor, public torture, and death marches. Following the overthrow of Khmer Rouge in 1979, hundreds of thousands of Cambodians fled the country on foot to refugee camps. I met and hired one of those who worked in my Lowell district office. Sarah Kuon would tell me of her earliest memories as a child walking along a railroad track with rocks and bare feet for miles and miles, trying to get to a refugee camp. Many of these refugees eventually resettled in the United States; and I am proud to represent a large and active Cambodian community in and around the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, my hometown. Cambodian Americans have made invaluable contributions to our communities through their spirit, leadership, and strength. I am proud that the City of Lowell elected the first Cambodian-American anywhere in the United States to public elective office. Rity Uong was elected to the Lowell City Council in 1979 in an at-large election. Just 2 weeks ago, he was reelected to his third term on the city council. This resolution represents a small but important step in honoring the victims, their survivors, and their descendants by making public and vivid the hidden details of the Cambodian genocide. This resolution should remind the world not only of the horrors perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge but of the horrors of genocide in Europe, Africa, and around the world. I am honored to add my voice to those of my colleagues today in remembering the victims of the Cambodian genocide, and I will continue to pursue justice for its victims. We will never forget what happened or turn our backs on the truth.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Department of Defense authorization conference report. But before I address the issues raised by this bill, I want to thank the staff for their hard work on this bill. I especially appreciate the efforts of Bill Natter of the Committee staff and Bill McCann from my personal staff. I also want to extend a special thank you to Faye Virostek, who has worked in my office as a Brookings Fellows for almost a year. Faye is tremendously talented and dedicated. She has contributed greatly to my work on the Armed Services Committee and to my office, and I wish her the best as she prepares to return to her permanent executive branch job. I did not sign the conference report because I object to the exclusion of the minority members of the Conference Committee from deliberations over several important issues. In some cases, we were able to work constructively to reach reasonable compromise, but in others the majority was unwilling to work with us in an attempt to produce a consensus position. I do not believe that our Nation's interests or this institution are well-served by this process. For example, the conference report mirrors the House report language to rewrite the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, two critical environmental laws. In addition, the resolution on concurrent receipt of disability and retirement benefits fails to resolve the unfairness and hardship faced by many veterans. I believe the debate needs to be continued on this very important issue, and I was disappointed that the majority chose to adopt a half-measure rather than solving the problem in its entirety. I also am dismayed that efforts to clarify the Berry amendment failed. This is not a failure of the conference process, but it is a serious blow to the textile industry in Massachusetts and across the country. Having said that, I believe the conference report is on the whole a solid proposal. At a time when members of our Nation's military are being asked to make tremendous personal sacrifices, this bill represents a step in the right direction. I recognize the importance of providing a truly bipartisan authorization package in order to maintain the world's most capable military. To this end, the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities, where I serve as ranking member, authorized increased spending on DARPA, chemical and biological defense, and special operations. I applaud Subcommittee Chairman Saxton for his leadership and work on these issues, and I also want to thank Ranking Member Skelton for all of his efforts. While this bill generally represents a sound approach to most of the issues before the Committee, I am disappointed that its flaws were not corrected. In the coming months, I hope that we will be able to move forward and address the shortcomings in this conference report.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, October 27, 2003 I attended a Mass of Christian Burial for John M. Corcoran of Massachusetts. The Mass, held at St. Elizabeth's Church in Milton, Massachusetts celebrated the life of a very special person. I offer my condolences to John's two sons, John and Thomas; his sisters, Mary, Theresa, Claire, Bernadette and Frances, and his two brothers, Joe and Leo. I would also ask unanimous consent to enter into the Congressional Record the Boston Globes's obituary, that was so eloquently written by Tom Long. John Corcoran, Developer of Real Estate, Good Will; at 80 John M. Corcoran grew up in a triple-decker at the end of the driveway to St. Margaret's Hospital in Dorchester, and he never forgot where he came from. After earning millions as a real estate developer, he contributed time and money in the creation of St. Mary's Women and Infant Center, a multiservice agency for Dorchester residents that was born in 1993 after St. Margaret's closed. ``He knew what it was like to live in poverty, and knew what a difference it could make when you had support around you,'' Judy Beckler, president of the Women and Infant Center, said yesterday, of Mr. Corcoran, 80, who died Wednesday at Massachusetts General Hospital. Beckler said she couldn't give a figure for how much money Mr. Corcoran donated to the center. ``It's not something he would approve of,'' she said. ``He hoped, in time, people would understand that his time and commitment were more important than any money he donated.'' But the total was at least $500,000, according to a story published in the Globe in 1995. The center now includes a homeless shelter, has 20 beds for pregnant teenagers and is home to nine nonprofit groups that offer a number of services from child care to computer training. ``He wanted us to become a vital institution in Dorchester,'' said Beckler. ``He had a commitment and a vision, and really believed that folks could make a difference in other people's lives.'' As a member of the center's board of trustees, Mr. Corcoran was always willing to ask the hard questions. ``He once told me, `I learned long ago not to practice trustee etiquette,' '' said Beckler. One of eight children of an Irish-immigrant factory worker, Mr. Corcoran sometimes hawked newspapers as a young man to help his family make ends meet. He shoveled coal at St. Margaret's. And he spent a childhood summer with relatives in Ireland. He attended Boston English High School. When the United States entered World War II, he answered the call and became a paratrooper. In the months before the D-Day invasion of France, his family lost contact with him for three months. Every night, the sound of rosary beads rattled through the two-bedroom apartment in Dorchester as his siblings prayed for his safe return. Finally his mother received a letter. ``Mom, I smelled something today that I haven't smelled since I was 7,'' he wrote, ``the sweet smell of turf burning on a fire.'' To his family's relief, Mr. Corcoran was alive and well and training in Ireland. Mr. Corcoran parachuted into France in the early hours of the D-Day invasion. ``I once asked him what D-Day was like,'' his brother Joe of Milton said yesterday. ``He said: `It was the most exhilarating and most exciting time of my life; unfortunately, some people got killed, and others got hurt.' '' Mr. Corcoran was among the injured. He was awarded a Bronze Star as well as a Purple Heart. After the war, Mr. Corcoran attended Boston College. He completed his bachelor's degree in three years, even though he was working 40 hours a week shoveling coal at St. Margaret's. He then began John M. Corcoran & Co., a real estate development firm, which he operated with his brothers Leo and Joe, who later left to start his own firm, Corcoran Jennison Companies. ``We were a lot more confident than our parents were,'' Mr. Corcoran told The World of Hibernia magazine. ``We knew we were at least as smart as anyone else--if not smarter. And you also knew you were an American, and you had that right.'' John M. Corcoran & Co. has built or managed more than 15,000 apartment units and a million square feet of suburban properties including Quincy Commons and Weymouth Commons apartment complexes. Mr. Corcoran contributed to many charities, among them the Christian Jewish Center at Boston College, where he was a trustee. He had 50 nieces and nephews, and he loved to ski. Every year, he brought his extended family on a ski trip to New Hampshire. For many years, he rented the entire Bartlett Hotel for his family, and children would be running through its hallways for a week. Each year, Mr. Corcoran took a trip to the Alta Ski Area in Utah. ``He was looking forward to going this year,'' said Joe. ``When you reach 80 years old, you get to ski for free. It wasn't the money, but it was a status thing with him.'' In addition to his brothers, both of whom are Milton residents, he leaves two sons, John and Thomas, also of Milton; five sisters, Mary of Dorchester, Theresa of Quincy, and Claire Carten, Bernadette Richards, and Frances Richer, all of Milton; and five grandchildren. A funeral Mass will be said Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Elizabeth's Church in Milton. Burial will be in Milton Cemetery.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the life of a wonderful woman--Mildred ``Millie'' O'Neill. After a long and illustrious life, she passed away in her sleep last night after 89 years. Like so many congressional spouses, Millie committed her life to public service alongside her loving husband, Tip. While her husband was the Speaker of the House, she worked to advance a number of important causes and took leadership roles in major philanthropic groups. Her favorite charities and projects included the March of Dimes, the Congressional Wives Club, and the effort to restore historic Ford's Theater. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to United States Army, Private First Class, Evan O'Neill, who died on Monday, September 29, 2003, in service to his country. Nineteen-year-old Evan O'Neill was a resident of Haverhill, Massachusetts, in my Fifth Congressional District. Evan graduated in 2002 from the Whittier Vocational Technical High School, where he studied auto mechanics. Evan was a member of the 10th Mountain Division, based out of Fort Drum, and was in his third month of deployment in Afghanistan. Evan O'Neill comes from a military family that is proud of their son's service to the United States. Evan's father, Michael, a lieutenant with the Andover, Massachusetts Fire Department, was a Vietnam veteran wounded twice, receiving two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star for his service. Michael O'Neill was as proud as any of the parents of our servicemen and women when he pinned his silver Airborne wings on his son at Fort Benning, Georgia, after Evan successfully completed his fifth and final jump. Evan had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps by someday becoming a paratrooper. His parents were fortunate enough to have had a satellite telephone conversation with their son, just hours before his untimely death. Evan suffered multiple gunshot wounds during a firefight with suspected Taliban militia, near a coalition base at Shkin, just a few miles from the Pakistan border, an area that still continues to see violent conflicts. Two of O'Neill's comrades were also wounded in the attack. Evan's death is a grim reminder to us all that while our brave troops continue their battle to rebuild a peaceful Iraq, war is still being waged thousands of miles away, in Afghanistan, where our country's war against terrorism began 2 years ago. More than 11,000 coalition troops remain deployed in the hunt for Taliban members, as well as remnants of al-Qaeda. I visited Afghanistan last year, and I know that our troops who continue to serve there remain committed to stabilizing that nation and ridding that country of the Taliban rebels, the likes of who executed the attack on our country on September 11th, 2001. Evan had told his family that he wanted not only to serve his country in our military, but also to honor the losses paid by the firefighters and police officers who died in the attack on our nation. Evan, like many other soldiers who have answered their nation's call to service, paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom and liberty. Evan O'Neill was a loving son, brother, and fiance, and his commitment to his Nation and his family is one for which he will be forever remembered. His family knows that Evan's dedication to his service was of great value to him. Both Michael and his wife, Barbara, believe their son died a hero. They are correct. U.S. Army PFC Evan O'Neill served his family, his hometown, and his country, proudly and faithfully.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. I compliment my colleague the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel) for his leadership and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) and the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie). We were at a House Armed Services Committee meeting tonight and the press was not there, either. We were looking to mark up House Resolution 364, which is a resolution of inquiry that I know that the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) is familiar with, introduced and cosponsored by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler) and many of us cosponsored that, including myself, that would ask the President to send to the House of Representatives a report prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff that has been widely reported in the press entitled Operation Iraqi Freedom, Strategic Lessons Learned. These are documents about the reconstruction and security of postwar Iraq. This report was compiled by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with interviews from senior U.S. military officials, including Army General Tommy Franks, that outlines the deficiency in the Bush administration's postwar planning for Iraq. According to a Washington Times article that appeared a few weeks ago, this report includes a scathing analysis of the Bush administration's lack of planning for postwar Iraq. No matter which side people were on at the resolution that was voted on a year ago, all of us, I think, said that the challenge was not necessarily in the military mission in Iraq that all of us as members of the Committee on Armed Services knew could be completed because we had prepared for it for 10 years, the question was whether or not we were prepared for the postwar Iraq. I think the evidence is overwhelmingly, in fact even the Bush administration has acknowledged that the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq is turning out to be a disaster. Nobody can seriously doubt that the world is a better place without Saddam Hussein in power. But I think the evidence is clear that if we are not careful, and if we do not ask questions, if we do not have inquiries, we risk turning Iraq into a breeding ground for terrorism. According to the Washington Times report, prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this is a comprehensive analysis of the Bush administration's postwar strategy. Everyone on this floor today knows that this administration botched the planning for how to deal with postwar Iraq. The only question we face now is, how can we fix it before more damage is done? There is good reason to think that this report, if made public, would help us to do that, because it looks at the planning for the war and its aftermath through interviews with senior military officials. The report is in final form. According to the Washington Times, it was stamped that it is a final draft. I cannot understand why we would not get a copy, why the Committee on Armed Services would not get a copy, before we decide how to handle the Bush administration's request for yet another $87 billion to secure and rebuild Iraq. With everything we know now about the absence of intelligence on weapons of mass destruction and the failure to plan for a significant resistance, I do not think the Bush administration is in any position now to ask us to trust them to give us the information that we need. All of us on the Committee on Armed Services have a responsibility to the Republic, to the Constitution, to get to the bottom of the Bush administration's planning on Iraq and what went wrong. As the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) would attest to, more than 6 months have gone by since the Joint Chiefs of Staff initiated this report. Three months have gone by since the draft was handed over to the Department of Defense stamped final draft. And it has been 1 month since the Washington Times has reported this. I do not see any reason why the Pentagon should not be able to give the Congress of the United States this report. We need it now, before we make any decisions about another $87 billion as we are cutting back, this administration, cutting back on health care for Americans, cutting back on veterans' services, $1.8 billion to make sure that we meet our commitment to veterans across this country, cutting back on Head Start and other programs. We ought to know what this report says before we move further. I was disappointed at what the Committee on Armed Services did tonight because we reported that bill out with an ought-not-to-pass the bill. I do not know why the American people do not have a right to know what is in this report that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have put together. But instead there is more stonewalling, we do not want to tell the truth, we do not want to let it out, we want to keep it secret. If there is anything that all of us Members of Congress have come to understand it is we have a responsibility to make sure that this administration hides behind the truth no longer.

Mr. MEEHAN. Madam Speaker, there was an amendment by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) tonight before the Committee on Armed Services, and I know the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) can attest to this, where all we are asking is how have they spent the $80 billion we have already sent to them. Where has this money gone? There is a controversy around the country because some leaders in this body and the other body have said the money went for this or the money went for that. Tell us what has happened to the money. They will not tell us. They do not want to tell us. The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) was there for that debate on that amendment. They do not want to justify the $80 billion they have already spent. They want to pass another $87 billion before they even justify where the first $80 billion went.

Mr. MEEHAN. Madam Speaker, we have a simultaneous war on Afghanistan and Iraq, and I will be brief, but I had to call a family today in my district. Evan O'Neill, a 19 year old, great kid, was killed in Afghanistan, and I had to talk to his father, Mike. His mother, Barbara is a nurse. His father is a firefighter in Andover, Massachusetts. A Vietnam war veteran, he was injured himself. I think this has nothing to do with partisan politics, but we have to think about the uprising in Afghanistan of the Taliban and al Qaeda, and consider the fact that while we have the Taliban on the run and while we have certainly put a dent into al Qaeda, there are many in this chamber who have asked the question whether or not we could conduct 2 simultaneous wars. And I just want to take a moment to reflect on Evan O'Neill and his heroic fight for our country in tracking down the Taliban in al Qaeda. He gave the ultimate sacrifice today: his life. The point I want to make is, and my colleagues recognize this, what we are talking about on this floor is serious business. It is about life and death, and the decisions that we make and this administration make about war and peace is about dollars, it is about investment, but it is also about human life. And I, for one Member of Congress, am tired of having to talk to families who have lost loved ones. On September 11 I had 31 of them from my district. We have to think about these issues. One of the reasons why inquiry is important, discussion is important is because this is serious business, and it is about life and death. And we owe constituents the responsibility of having an honest, intelligent, nonpartisan discussion about the issues that affect our country.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, this November marks 10 years since our Nation imposed the discriminatory law known as ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' on the lesbian, gay and bisexual patriots of our Nation. During the past decade, almost 10,000 men and women have been fired from our armed forces simply because of their sexual orientation. Many of those men and women have sought the assistance and advocacy of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), the Nation's only legal aid and advocacy organization for those harmed by the military's gay ban. In August, SLDN's Executive Director, C. Dixon Osburn, commemorated 10 years of service to the organization he founded and the brave Americans it serves. Mr. Osburn co-founded the organization in 1993 with former Army Captain Michelle Benecke. Under Mr. Osburn's leadership, SLDN has provided legal services to 5,000 service members and obtained 35 changes in military policy and practice related to ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass.'' Also under his leadership, SLDN's policy efforts have included obtaining new Pentagon and Service policies on anti-gay harassment, an Executive Order on hate crimes in the military and an Executive Order providing, for the first time, a limited psychotherapist privilege in the armed forces. Due in large part to Mr. Osburn's work, The Boston Globe has said ``[SLDN] knows far more than the Pentagon about what reality is like in the military and helps individuals caught in the mess.'' Deb Price of The Detroit News also commended their work, noting that: ``SLDN has repeatedly forced the Pentagon not just to take notice, but to change.'' And The Nation reports, ``It's amazing how much this small legal-aid group has accomplished already.'' Mr. Osburn received the 1994 GAYLAW Distinguished National Service Award, and the 1998 Kevin Larkin Award for Public Service from the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association. In 1998, Mr. Osburn was named by The Advocate magazine as one of the Top 10 National Gay Leaders. In 2000, under Mr. Osburn's leadership, SLDN received ``Organization of the Year'' awards from both the District of Columbia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the International Lesbian & Gay Museum of History. I am honored today to recognize his decade of leadership at the helm of SLDN and his unparalleled advocacy for our men and women in uniform.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 31 people from my district who died in the September 11 attacks. Captain John Ogonowski was the pilot of American Flight 11. John was a Vietnam veteran and a member of the American Legion and the Dracut Grange. He was a pilot, and he also was a fourth-generation farmer. I'd like to express my appreciation that the 2002 Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report was renamed the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farmer-to-Farmer Program after Captain John Ogonowski. John left a wife, Peggy, and three daughters, whom I have come to know and admire over the last two years for their courage and determination in the face of devastating loss. Their strength and commitment to John's legacy will ensure that his memory never dies. As Captain Ogonowski was one of the first victims, David Bernard of Chelmsford was the last. Dave was struck with falling debris as he walked into the World Trade Center. He was one of the first people rushed to New York hospitals and fought for his life for over 3 months, until December of 2001. He is survived by his wife Nancy; his sons, David and Mark; and his daughter, Jill. If you have a chance to see it, the IRS--where David worked--has a beautiful stone memorial on Constitution Avenue, just a few blocks from here. Patrick Quigley often took American Flight 11 to California. Concerned once the news that American Flight 11 had hit the World Trade Center, his wife Patti, called his office. She was relieved when they said they were sure he was fine, that he had decided to take United Flight 175 instead. Patrick was on United Flight 175, and at the time, Patti Quigley was seven months pregnant. His daughter Leah will celebrate her 2nd birthday in a few months. Patti, who is a tremendous source of strength for her friends and family, has joined with other widows from September 11th to start a non-profit agency called Beyond the 11th. Next year, we will all know much more about her work, as she begins to work with victims of terrorism and the war in Afghanistan. I want to tell you all about Larissa Gay, a young woman from Tewksbury, who lost her dad, Peter, a senior trouble shooter for Raytheon. Larissa maintains an A+ average at the Sacred Heart School in Lowell. Larissa ran the 7 mile Falmouth Road Race in honor of her father. What an incredible way to show strength and tackle adversity. There's a story behind every victim of the September 11 attacks. In the last 2 years, I have had the privilege to get to know many of the families left behind. I'd like to now pay tribute and honor all of them, with a reading of each of their names. Trudi Alagero, an Andover native; David Bernard of Chelmsford; Geoffrey Cloud of Sudbury; Andrew Curry Green of Chelmsford; Alexander Filipov of Concord; Peter Gay of Tewksbury; Peter Goodrich of Sudbury; Douglas Gowell of Methuen; The Hanson Family--Peter, Susan & Christine Hanson, age 3, of Groton; Peter Hashem of Tewksbury; James Hayden of Westford; Cora Holland of Sudbury; Brian Kinney of Lowell; Susan MacKay of Westford; Louis Mariani, formerly of Dracut; Christopher Morrison of Andover; Mildred ``Milly'' Naiman of Andover; Captain John Ogonowski of Dracut, Pilot of American Flight 11; Betty Ong of Andover, Flight Attendant of American Airlines Flight 11; Jane Orth of Haverhill; Abner Morales Pabon of Lawrence; Marie Pappalardo of Methuen; Patrick Quigley of Wellesley, a Methuen native; Philip Rosenzweig of Acton; Jessica Sachs of Billerica; Jane Simpkin of Wayland; Madeline ``Amy'' Sweeney of Acton, Flight Attendant of American Airlines Flight 11; Leonard Taylor, an Andover native; Kenneth Waldie of Methuen. As Americans we can't help but remember. But unlike the families who have experienced this loss first hand, we grieve for a moment, not for a lifetime. These families have suffered the ultimate loss, and we owe them our most heartfelt sympathies and support.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise to oppose the amendment, and I agree with much of the substance of this amendment; but I am concerned about the provisions with regard to newspapers. Mr. Chairman, there used to be a time in every major city in America where we had three, four, five vibrant newspapers. Today, what we are seeing is fewer and fewer newspapers across the country. We are seeing circulation of newspapers going down and the economic viability of newspapers reduced dramatically because of the inability of newspapers to compete economically. I know something about this because my father worked at the local newspaper in my hometown for 43 years. He was not the publisher. He was not the editor. He was not even a reporter. He punched a clock as compositor for 43 years, and that local newspaper meant a lot to our community. I believe that the provisions regarding cross-ownership for newspapers would do serious harm to the financial viability of local newspapers with disastrous consequences for journalism. In a world where 24-hour cable news and Internet have made news sources for information widely available, we still depend, and our democracy depends, upon newspapers to provide high-quality, in-depth coverage of local news events; but with the emergence of so many alternative sources of news and entertainment, newspapers are struggling to retain advertisers who want to reach a high-quality, fragmented audience of consumers. Newspapers are getting hit from both directions because they are losing circulation, viewers, and advertisers to broadcasters and major news media. The FCC's decision to relax the cross-ownership rules with regard to newspapers was based on extensive evidence showing that when newspapers are allowed to participate in local broadcasting, consumers benefit. Daily newspapers almost always have the most extensive and sophisticated news-gathering apparatus in their circulation area. So this should not be surprising. Newspapers have been used in classrooms across America to discuss local issues. So when co-owned broadcast stations are able to draw on the depth and breadth of newspaper expertise, the stations can produce better local news programming; and when newspapers make their pitch to advertisers, they can say that they reach consumers across their circulation area through radio or, in some instances, TV ads as well as print. The FCC did not have to guess what would happen with the quality of local news under lax cross-ownership rules with regard to newspapers. Several local newspaper/broadcast combinations have been in operation since the 1970s under the grandfather rules. This experience shows that broadcast stations, co-owned with daily newspapers, are offering better local news and more of it. Studies by both media owners and independent entities agree on these benefits. For example, a 5-year study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism at Columbia University, found that co-owned stations were more likely to do stories focused on important community issues and were more likely to provide a wide mix of opinion. Other studies show that existing newspaper/broadcast combinations do not coordinate the editorial views they express on important public issues. The health of daily newspapers across this country is absolutely critical to the functioning of our democracy because newspapers offer by far the most extensive and consistent coverage of local political issues and public policy issues. That is why I believe the FCC's decision to allow more newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership is good public policy. While I agree with many of the provisions in this particular amendment and also the gentleman from Wisconsin's (Mr. Obey) amendment, the relaxation of a cross-ownership ban for newspapers will serve the public interest by fostering better newspapers and information; and I base that on my experience in dealing with local newspapers in my own district and my own family's involvement in 43 years. I might also add, since there have been other issues such as overtime, when my father worked as an hourly employee for 43 years punching a time clock every day, whether or not we took a vacation that summer was determined by his ability to earn overtime at that newspaper. Fortunately, he was able to make the overtime payments because of the ability of that newspaper to provide a quality of life for the employees.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to United States Marine Captain Seth Michaud, who died on Sunday, June 22, 2003, in service to his country. Seth Michaud was a resident of Hudson, Massachusetts, in my Congressional District. In 1994, he graduated from Hudson High School, where he excelled in both academics and sports. I supported Seth's application to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD., and was proud when he was accepted, announcing the news at a town meeting that included his family, friends, and neighbors. Seth graduated from the Pensacola Naval Flight School in 1999, and was certified as a helicopter pilot in December, 2000. At the time of his death, Capt. Michaud was a helicopter commander, killed when a B-52 dropped nine M117 general purpose bombs during a practice mission. Seth was watching the routine training exercise from atop a ridge on the Gondoria Range in northeastern Africa, off the coast of Djibouti. He was standing outside his CH-53E helicopter when the bomb exploded. Eight other service personnel were also injured. Seth Michaud had been assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, based at New River Marine Corps in North Carolina. Capt. Michaud and about 50 other personnel from Combined Joint Task Force--Horn of Africa were participating in training exercises that involved the coordination of aerial bombardment missions. This exercise was the fourth of its kind since the task force's arrival in December. The task force's mission is to lead the U.S. war on terrorism, by intercepting or disrupting terrorist operatives in that region of the world. Seth, like many other soldiers who have answered their nation's call to service, paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom and liberty. Seth is survived by his loving wife Karen Marie, and their 18-month- old son, Ian. He also leaves his parents, Francis and Karen of Hudson, a brother, Ethan, and a sister, Samantha, as well as several other relatives and friends. Seth Michaud was a United States Marine, a loving father, husband, son, and brother, and his commitment to his Nation and his family is one for which he will be forever remembered. His family knows that Seth's dedication to his service was of great value to him. They remember him for his photographic memory, his passion for flying, and his love for his family. Capt. Seth Michaud served his family, his hometown, and his country, proudly and faithfully.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am pleased to recognize the outstanding service to our Nation by Lieutenant Colonel Malcom A. Shorter, who will be retiring from the Army on September 30, 2003 after a distinguished career that has spanned over 22 years of dedicated service. Malcom Shorter distinguished himself as a leader who epitomized the modern American professional soldier. Malcom Shorter's illustrious career as an Infantry Officer embodied all of the Army's values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Throughout his career Lieutenant Colonel Shorter demonstrated his outstanding tactical and operational expertise in numerous command and staff positions both overseas and in the continental United States. Continually serving in positions of ever-increasing responsibility, highlights of his career include serving as an Infantry Company Commander twice, and as a Brookings Congressional Fellow for the United States Army in my office during the 1st session of the 106th Congress. Malcom also served as the Chief of Plans and Operations for the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Benning, Georgia and was responsible for the development of worldwide contingencies and the training of a combined arms combat maneuver brigade focused on South West Asia. Malcom's talent for solving complex management problems complemented his proven operational skill. While serving as my Military Legislative Assistant, he provided sound policy guidance and operational expertise on the Department of Defense Budget, Military Readiness and Veterans Affairs issues. Malcom's prudent opinions and sound judgment were invaluable in my making good decisions on issues that affect our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Veterans. As evidence of the quality of Lieutenant Colonel Shorter's leadership, management, and interpersonal skills, he was specially selected to serve as the Deputy Chief of the Army's Congressional Liaison Office in the United States House of Representatives. He was responsible for maintaining liaison with 435 Members of Congress, their personal staffs, and twenty permanent or select legislative committees. During that period, Malcom personally escorted more than 200 Members of Congress on fact-finding missions to over 75 foreign countries. His dedication, candor and professionalism while serving in that capacity earned him the reputation as the best source on Capitol Hill to resolve issues pertaining to the Army. Accordingly, I invite my colleagues to join in offering our heartfelt congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Malcom A. Shorter on a career of selfless service marked by his resolute dedication and unwavering integrity. He represents the very best that our great Nation has to offer. We wish Malcom, his wife Joan, and his daughters, Alex and Tori, continued success and happiness in all of their future endeavors.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Tauscher-Markey amendment. As the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capability, I know that the threat of weapons of mass destruction is real. In Iraq this country's military demonstrated that it can get the job done effectively against heavily defended bunkers and other targets without the use of nuclear weapons. As we negotiate and persuade other nations around the world not to develop nuclear weapons, our credibility is damaged and undermined when we pursue new types of these weapons for our own arsenals. We should improve our conventional capability to defend hard and buried targets around the world as opposed to traveling down this dangerous path towards increased dependence on nuclear weapons. It does not make sense.

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), for yielding the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak on the Department of Defense authorization bill, and let me first of all say that I am concerned the technical corrections amendment aims to rewrite the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, two critical environmental laws. The House Committee on Armed Services marked this bill up in a session that lasted over 24 hours. We debated issue after issue, and we raised serious concerns about the Department's efforts to effectively eliminate the Civil Service system and to gut important environmental protections. While the debate certainly was contentious, it was an open debate. Today we are faced with a much different scenario. Amendments to restore Civil Service protections and protect the environment were not made in order. A rewrite of major environmental laws was included in the manager's amendment. I did not get an opportunity to speak on the rule, but I believe strongly that the rule that was passed by this House makes a mockery of the deliberative process. As the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities, I believe the committee's work, the legislative product before us, is on the whole a solid proposal. At a time when our Nation's military is being called upon to make greater than normal sacrifices, this bill in my estimation represents a step in the right direction, for I have seen firsthand an example of this personal sacrifice in traveling around the world to Afghanistan and other places. I recognize the importance of providing a truly bipartisan authorization package in order to maintain a second-to-none military. Towards this end, the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities authorized increased spending on DARPA, chemical and biological defense measures, and at the Special Operations Command. I applaud the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) for his leadership for the ultimate approval of these issues. That said, I would like to address a few less-than-impressive measures contained in the portion of the bill that pertains to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities. For starters, this bill reduces funding for information technology or IT programs by as much as $2 billion to fund in some cases initiatives perhaps more suited for the conflict of yesterday rather than those of tomorrow. I am particularly concerned about the nature of the proposed cut to the Navy-Marine Corps Internet. In my mind, the depth and breadth of the IT cuts represents a stunning recommendation, given that our military's complete transition into the information age is well under way. Mr. Chairman, I sincerely hope that as this legislation moves forward that much work can be done in the conference committee, because, as of today, I believe this bill is a flawed bill, and I hope that we are open to operating, as we move further, in working with the conference committee to correct these flaws.

Mr. MEEHAN

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the silver anniversary of the Lowell National Historical Park. Twenty-five years ago, President Jimmy Carter signed into law former Congressman Paul Tsongas' legislation to establish the Lowell Park. At the time, Lowell was a struggling community with an uncertain future. Nevertheless, Tsongas knew that as the cradle of America's Industrial Revolution, Lowell was a dynamo waiting to be harnessed. Today, the Lowell Park receives nearly three-quarters of a million visitors a year and its revitalized and reused mills are home to high technology companies, a state university, and housing for all income levels. The Lowell Park has told the story of our Nation's industrial history using world class museum exhibits and innovative programs and events such as canal boat tours; a recreated weave room and interactive exhibits at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum; the Mill Girls and Immigrants exhibit; the annual Lowell Folk Festival, the largest free folk festival in the nation, now in its 17th year; and numerous other heritage-based special events. Furthermore, as a pioneer in the National Park System (NPS), Lowell has been a model for telling America's industrial history across the Nation, in such places as Dayton, OH, where stories are being told about the history of aviation; in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan about copper mining; in the Monongehela Valley of Pennsylvania about the steel industry; and in Scranton, PA, about railroading. At the local level, the Lowell Park's contribution to the area's economic development has been immeasurable, and nationally, it is a treasure of America's rich industrial heritage. The Lowell Park staff has been highly innovative, winning state and national recognition and awards. Here are just a few examples of their achievements: Partnering with the University of Massachusetts Graduate School of Education, the Lowell Park boasts one of the most successful educational programs in the Park Service, with over 65,000 participating school children per year. The National Parks Foundation and the NPS have awarded their Partnership Award to this innovative heritage education program. Working closely with the city, the park has guided the rehabilitation of nearly 350 historic buildings in the park's Preservation District, improving the downtown and adjacent neighborhoods. These efforts have been repeatedly recognized, most recently with a National Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and a statewide award for ``Visionary Leadership in Community Preservation.'' Most of the five and a half miles of canals--a National Engineering Landmark--are now accessible to the public via walkways and interpretive signage. The Park's Canalway Program has won a national ``Excellence on the Waterfront Award'' from the Waterfront Center in Washington, DC. Its community programming through the Mogan Cultural Center reaches out to underserved populations and over three dozen ethnic communities, earlier generations of whom worked in textile mills. The community has built upon the presence of the Lowell National Historical Park by attracting museums, sports facilities, an arts community and major festivals to the Preservation District, making Lowell truly a ``Destination City.'' The National Trust for Historic Preservation designated Lowell one of its first ``Dozen Distinctive Destinations'' in 2000. New projects are underway in three major mill complexes--Lawrence, Boott and Dutton Yarn--that are generating 400 new market rate apartments and condominiums because Lowell is now a place to which people want to move. Over a dozen other historic buildings in the national park's Preservation District are also in the process of rehabilitation at this time, signaling that the marketplace has responded to the Federal investment. Congratulations to the Lowell National Historical Park for reaching this auspicious milestone. Its 25th anniversary is as much a celebration of Lowell's rebirth, as it is a stark reminder of the inherent value of preserving our history for future generations.