Dennis Moore

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 383) to amend the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (division A of Public Law 110-343) to provide the Special Inspector General with additional authorities and responsibilities, and for other purposes.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. We are in a deep and painful economic downturn, the likes of which we haven't seen in decades. Just last month our economy lost over 650,000 jobs for the third straight month, bringing the total number of jobs lost since December 2007 to 4.4 million. That's more than 1\1/2\ times the entire population of my home State of Kansas. But something we should remember, Madam Speaker, is our financial sector must be stabilized and confidence restored before we see any economic recovery. My constituents, like most Americans, are anxious and frustrated, and they deserve the strongest oversight and accountability of how their taxpayer dollars are spent. When Congress enacted the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act last October, the new law not only created the Troubled Assets Relief Program, or TARP, we made sure to include strong oversight protections for United States taxpayers, such as the creation of the Special Inspector General for TARP or SIGTARP. Last month, Mr. Neal Barofsky, the newly appointed SIGTARP, testified before the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee. He said that after adding up all the Federal programs utilizing TARP funds, the total amount of money potentially at risk was approximately $2.875 trillion. Mr. Barofsky went on to say, ``We stand on the precipice of the largest infusion of government funds over the shortest period of time in our Nation's history. History teaches us that an outlay of so much money in such a short period of time will inevitably draw those seeking to profit criminally. We are looking at the potential exposure of tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer money lost to fraud. We must be vigilant.'' As chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I couldn't agree more. We must be vigilant to protect the United States taxpayers. I worked with my friend, Ranking Member Judy Biggert, as well as Congressmen Steve Driehaus and Eric Paulsen, and we introduced H.R. 1341, a companion bill to the Senate bill, S. 383 we are considering today. The Senate has already unanimously approved this bill twice. Most recently, Senator Claire McCaskill introduced this legislation last month, and the Senate approved the bill the same day. This bipartisan legislation equips the SIGTARP with the tools he needs by, No. 1, making clear the SIGTARP has the audit and investigative authority over any taxes taken by the TARP program; No. 2, giving the SIGTARP the authority to hire auditors and staff quickly by granting him temporary hiring authority; No. 3, requiring the Treasury Secretary to explain why any SIGTARP recommendation is not implemented; and, No. 4, mandating that the SIGTARP issue a report no later than September analyzing how TARP funds have been spent to date. Gene Dodaro from GAO and Professor Elizabeth Warren from Congressional Oversight Panel testified they supported S. 383, and Mr. Barofsky testified that he ``desperately needs more hiring flexibility, the type of which is contained in S. 383.'' He said, ``Quick passage of this important and essential legislation will allow me to hire rapidly the essential personnel to meet the challenges of providing effective oversight. I believe that this bill will help provide the necessary resources for us to meet our obligation to help protect the U.S. taxpayers' investments.'' There are additional issues we should consider, such as CO's request to hire retired annuitants, and other suggestions made at our committee markup that we will continue to monitor. I will note the amendments offered were well-intended, but they did little other than give special emphasis to activities already authorized by SIGTARP's mandate in current law or as expressed in S. 383. Conversely, if we included those amendments it would have had the effects of substantially slowing down the bill because it would require further action by the Senate. Most importantly, I think it's telling that not one Financial Services Committee member, Republican or Democrat, voted against this bill at the markup. And not one Senator, Republican or Democrat, voted against this bill. Protecting taxpayer money should be a nonpartisan effort, and I believe this bill keeps with that spirit. In light of the SIGTARP's testimony and the urgency of his request, and with legitimate public outrage over the AIG bonuses and other misbehavior by TARP recipients, it's important now more than ever that we approve this bipartisan bill today so we can send it straight to the President's desk for signature. I urge my colleagues to support S. 383, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Paulsen for his work as well on this legislation. I think he is exactly right. We need to pass this on a bipartisan basis. At this time, Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California, Congresswoman Speier.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. I yield an additional minute to the gentlewoman.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Chairman Towns of New York.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey).

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, we have no more speakers, and we reserve the remainder of our time.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank Representative Paulsen for his contributions here and his work on this legislation. Let me close by urging my colleagues to support S. 383. I don't know how anyone can argue with the fact that the United States taxpayers we represent deserve strong oversight of how their funds are used, and this bill will do just that. Support this bipartisan bill so we can equip the Special Inspector General for TARP with the staff and authority he needs to track the use of TARP funds and limit any waste, fraud and abuse in the program.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Cathy Breidenthal, the longtime executive director of the YWCA of Kansas City, Kansas, who retired from that position on February 28, 2009, after nearly 23 years of dedicated service to that important community institution. Cathy's reinvigoration of the Kansas City YWCA, which included a capital campaign, coupled with a significant expansion in services and programs, will be celebrated at a ``Heart of Gold'' fundraiser for the institution on March 27th. The Kansas City Star recently carried an article detailing Cathy Breidenthal's service to our local YWCA community; I include it here for review by our colleagues, who I am sure join with me in recognizing the important contributions made by Cathy Breidenthal during her years of service to the YWCA of Kansas City, Kansas. We wish her well upon her well-earned retirement! [From the Kansas City Star, Dec. 31, 2008] YWCA Executive Director To Retire (By Joy Gipple) Cathy Breidenthal, executive director for 22 years of the YWCA of Kansas City, Kan., recently announced her retirement. ``When longtime EDs (executive directors) retire, it's kind of an initial shock,'' said YWCA board member Theresa Reyes Cummings. ``She's really been a pillar.'' ``Eliminating racism, empowering women'' is the branding statement for the YWCA's mission. ``The growth in those two areas is something that I feel really good about,'' Breidenthal said. Breidenthal has been credited with a regeneration of the YWCA during her tenure. A major effort was the capital campaign that resulted in sweeping improvements to the facility at 1017 N. Sixth St. and a subsequent expansion in services and programs. ``That process started in 2001, which was our 100th year,'' Breidenthal said. ``In 2002, a lot of construction development was occurring right on our block--the BPU office building and hotel, etc.,--so we had some decisions to make as to whether we were going to stay and be a positive part of this (downtown revitalization) development.'' The YWCA board decided the agency should stay in the original building. The project included an art gallery, theater and meeting space, as well as a health and fitness facility. In 2003 the YWCA started its first entrepreneurial initiative: the Corner Cafe. ``I was looking at the opportunity and some of the amenities that are so important to urban development,'' Breidenthal said. ``We knew there was no upscale coffee shop or cafe at that time, and we felt that if we were going to phase this in, we needed to do something that really showed progress and our willingness to take that leap of faith.'' Underwriting support helped to get it started, and five years later the cafe continues to provide daily lunch, ``happy hour'' cookies and coffees, catering services and culinary classes. ``Like any new business, particularly in an area that hasn't quite reached its full potential for development, it has taken some time,'' Breidenthal said. ``I think the same is true with the art and community meeting space and the health and fitness facility.'' She described people's reactions when they see the facility for the first time, or for those who remember the old building and then notice the change. ``They are truly amazed,'' Breidenthal said. ``Every time we have an event and people are there seeing that and they realize they can rent that space, that our food is wonderful--we have an excellent chef--that it's really a quality thing . . . seeing is believing.'' When Breidenthal came on board at the YWCA in 1986, she was the only full-time staff member. Today there are 15 full- or part-time employees, and that number was even larger while some government-funded programs used the new facility for a time. A program called the Teen Pregnancy Network shifted the focus to adolescent health issues. ``It really started us in that direction that is still one of the mainstays of our program,'' Breidenthal said. The Resource Sharing Project was another way of using the space and providing services. ``We had an entity that was an adult day care looking for space,'' Breidenthal explained. ``We had the space but very limited programming. So it was a very win-win for a number of years until we started growing our program and needed the full facility.'' Breidenthal also chairs the Downtown Shareholders Group, working on the business improvement district. ``I have a real commitment and I really care about the YWCA and the downtown,'' Breidenthal said. ``I've been part of that urban environment for over 35 years and certainly want it to succeed.'' The YWCA board is planning the transition and there will likely be a job posting in January. Breidenthal's last day will be Feb. 28. She expects the YWCA will continue to be a leader in downtown revitalization. ``Being at the crossroads of so many cultures here--certainly that can be one of our strengths and that's another area that fits with the YWCA's mission,'' Breidenthal said. Theresa Reyes Cummings echoed those sentiments. ``We're going to move forward and we have a lot to offer the community,'' Cummings said. ``It's an exciting time.''

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to note an important event in the Third Congressional District of Kansas. On April 14, 2009, the Volunteer Center of Johnson County in Overland Park, KS, will honor outstanding youth volunteers. Eighty young people have been nominated by school personnel and nonprofit organizations for their dedication and service to the community. Youth volunteerism continues to grow and be a strong force in Johnson County. These 110 young people exemplify the true meaning of volunteerism and giving back to their community. It is my honor to recognize each student volunteer and their schools by listing them in the Congressional Record. Movers and Shakers Class of 2009 Rana Aliani--Barstow; Colton Anderson--Prairie Trail Jr. High; Samantha Atwell--Olathe South High School; Amber Atwell--Olathe South High School; Sydney Ayers--Barstow; Katie Bauer--Mill Valley High School; Mica Bengtson--Olathe South High School; Terrance M. Benson II--Shawnee Mission North High School; Ben Berger--Blue Valley Northwest High School; Briana Bowen--Shawnee Mission West High School; Nathaniel Bozarth--Olathe North High School; Jessica Brown-- Shawnee Mission North High School; Tanner Buzick--Prairie Trail Jr. High; Sally Carmichael--Shawnee Mission West High School; Kristy Carter--Olathe North High School; Caitlin Carter--Shawnee Mission West High School; William Cleek-- Olathe North High School; Patrick Connell--Shawnee Mission West High School; Elizabeth Cornell--Olathe South High School; Hannah Cosgrove--Shawnee Mission East High School; Ariele Daniel--Olathe Northwest High School; Rudy Date--Blue Valley Northwest High School; Ben Davis--Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Tyler Day--Prairie Trail Jr. High; Allison Ens--Olathe Northwest High School; Miranda Erickson-- Olathe South High School; Amy Esselman--Shawnee Mission East High School; Emily Feder--Blue Valley Middle School; Melissa Gaddis--Olathe South High School; Evan Gage--Blue Valley Northwest High School. Jennifer Garren--Shawnee Mission West High School; Christy Garren--Westridge Middle School; Kevin Garrett--Shawnee Mission West High School; Michael Garrett--Shawnee Mission West High School; Andy Gottschalk--Westridge Middle School; Lauren Gregory--Heritage Home School; Jonathan Gregory-- Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Robert Hale--Shawnee Mission West High School; Gabrielle Hanna--Chisholm Trail Jr. High; Amneet Hans--Olathe North High School; Myra Hawkins-- Shawnee Mission West High School; Rebekah Hayner--Olathe Northwest High School; Cara Heneger--Shawnee Mission East High School; Lauren Hiatt--Olathe North High School; Taylor Hiatt--Olathe North High School; Tyler Howard--Olathe Northwest High School; Liz Huston--Olathe Northwest High School; Shelby Johnson--Olathe South High School; Taylor Johnston--Shawnee Mission West High School; Chantal Jorawsky--Olathe North High School; Katie Kelter--Olathe Northwest High School; Sean Kennedy--Shawnee Mission North High School; Joshua Kennedy--Shawnee Mission Christian School; Jordyn Kittle--Mill Valley High School; Rachel Knapp--Shawnee Mission West High School; Nicole Knapp-- Shawnee Mission West High School; Kelli Koch--Mill Valley High School; Jessica Kruger--Olathe North High School; Samuel Linan--Olathe Northwest High School; Danielle Lucido-- Lakewood Middle School. Jessie Lueck--Blue Valley Northwest High School; Olivia Mansheim--Olathe East High School; Connor McGoldrick--Shawnee Mission West High School; Ashley Mercer--Westridge Middle School; Ashlyn Midyett--Olathe Northwest High School; Collin Myers--Lakewood Middle School; Paige Nawalany--Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Nicholas Nawalany--Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Jack Nelson--Olathe Northwest High School; Lucy O'Connor--Shawnee Mission East High School; Alexandra Olsen--Olathe Northwest High School; Chris Ouyang-- Blue Valley Northwest High School; Aalok Patel--Olathe North High School; Nisha Patel--Olathe Northwest High School; Alex Pentola--Olathe South High School; Wade Pittrich--Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Matthew Ramirez--Olathe North High School; Andy Rao--Blue Valley Northwest High School; Gabrielle Rehor--Trailridge Middle School; Logan Reilly-- Westridge Middle School; Rachel Riedel--Westridge Middle School; Angela Ritz--Olathe North High School; Anna Robb-- Shawnee Mission West High School; Dayna Rucker--Shawnee Mission North High School; Bethany Ruder--Olathe South High School; Bradley Schmalz--Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Courtney Schmitz--Olathe South High School; Taylor Schwartz--Barstow; Caleb Shelton--Olathe South High School; Monica Sherraden--Olathe South High School. Carla Simpson--Olathe North High School; Taranjeet Singh-- Shawnee Mission West High School; Kyle Sitomer--Shawnee Mission East High School; Katie Spies--Blue Valley North High School; Alexa Stonebarger--Mission Valley Middle School; Allyssa Strange--Blue Valley Northwest High School; Abby Stuke--Westridge Middle School; Kate Tarne--Trailridge Middle School; Tana Thomason--Olathe Northwest High School; Julie Varriano--Notre Dame de Sion; Katie Vaughan--Prairie Trail Jr. High; Amanda Vaupel--Olathe North High School; Dallas Waage--Spring Hill High School; Jessica Wayne--Olathe South High School; Abby Weltner--Shawnee Mission East High School; Audriana Willis--Olathe Northwest High School; Elyse Wilson-- Olathe South High School; Ashley Wismer--Olathe South High School; Marissa Wuller--St. Thomas Aquinas; Alexa Zuchowski-- Olathe South High School.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute before the House of Representatives to Elder David J. Young of the Church of God in Christ, who formed the first church of this denomination in the state of Kansas and served as an important, early spiritual leader in our community. The first Church of God in Christ in the state of Kansas was organized in Kansas City, Kansas, on September 23, 1916, at 409 Oakland by Elder David J. Young, with a charter membership of some twenty members. Less than two years later, in the early summer of 1918, it was destroyed by a fire set by an arsonist. Undaunted by this act of violence, Elder Young pushed forward, holding services under a nearby large shade tree, and later in the homes of charter members and other buildings until a new structure was built. Later, in 1960, a new church was constructed at 2401 North 9th Street, erected to the glory of the Lord as a ``Living Monument for which Holiness Stands'', and in honor of Elder Young. On October 9-11, 2008, the D.J. Young Heritage Foundation hosted a revival, paying tribute to Elder Young and other pioneers of the Church of God in Christ. I am pleased to have this opportunity to share my support for this tribute by placing into the Congressional Record a biographical sketch of Elder David J. Young, which was provided by the D.J. Young Heritage Foundation. David Johnson Young David Johnson Young was born in approximately 1861, in Chester, South Carolina. Raised in the war-ravaged South, young David ascended to unimaginable heights amid a climate of severe racism and oppression of African Americans. Early on, his parents perceived that young David was exceptionally gifted and determined to use their meager means to afford him the education that would prove invaluable for his life and the countless lives he would impact through teaching and ministry. He initially attended a country school with his siblings but went on to graduate from Brainard Institute and Morehouse College. David then set out to bring hope to his fellowman through education. With illiteracy one of the most devastating problems in the aftermath of slavery, David Johnson Young brought access to a better future for many during his career as an educator. Even later in his life as a preacher, he would come to be recognized for his emphasis on formal education in ministerial service. Still more remarkable was the life changing message of hope brought by his fiery preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Beginning as a young preacher in the AME Zion Church, Elder Young grew to be a widely known and sought after minister in the South. He was also an editor of the official organ of the AME Zion Church, the Star of Zion. Elder Young met his call to preach with great fervor, evangelizing and serving as pastor in various states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. In 1897, he was joined with Priscilla Louise Jones in marriage, another stalwart of the faith. Mother Young served as a true helpmate, covering and supporting D. J. with much prayer and fasting. At times she even supported the family with the small wages she earned as a music teacher while he was out working on the evangelistic field. To their union were born Harold, Melvin, Ceolya, Valleda, Russel, William, and Rosette. As with other great leaders of the faith, their ministry began in the home, where Mother Young taught each of their children how to play two instruments. For example, their eldest son, Harold, played the piano and guitar while the second oldest, Melvin, was skilled in the piano and violin. In fact, when they were yet small boys, Elder Young often carried them with him on evangelistic crusades where they would draw crowds in public areas, such as parks, with their Holy Ghost filled praise and testimony services prior to their father's sermon. With their father as their teacher in the faith, they soon acquired the name, ``little boy preachers.'' After D. J. Young's demise, Mother Young and their children would take upon them the mantel once carried by D. J. Young with the various ministries he began during his latter years. Despite his many successes, David perceived the need to ascend to the ``higher life'' and grew increasingly troubled until he submitted to God's divine purpose for him to be sanctified. With his background in Methodism he had received teaching on the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost and God's command for all His children to live holy. However, it was during his pastorate in Chicago, IL, around the turn of the century, that he became associated with a holiness group known as the Burning Bush people and received the divine, life changing experience of sanctification. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in cleansing the believer from all inbred sin, purifying their heart and filling them with love for God and all people. Having thus been ``sanctified and meet for the Master's use,'' 2 Timothy 2:21, Young set out to share his testimony and declare God's wonderful plan. David better understood that God made a way for men to be justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, He didn't stop there. For God also provided the means for His children to live holy, separated unto Him, and freed from the very power or slavery of sin. In truth, His will is for man to be restored to the glorious image of God (Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:24, 2 Cor. 3:18--note the active role of the believer). Indeed the message of sanctification, also called perfection or holiness, had already started to sweep the nation, reaching into nearly every mainstream denomination. As a result scores of `Saints' left their denominations to form new religious bodies. Such was the case with Elder Young who, in approximately 1902, after graduating from the Burning Bush Holiness Bible School, left the AME Zion Church and became a mighty trailblazer in the Holiness Crusade. He carried this new message far and near, preaching conversion and sanctification. His path ultimately met with that of Charles Harrison Mason, a former Baptist preacher, who also joined the ranks of ministers who preached sanctification. Their bond grew as D. J. Young joined the group of holiness preachers with which Mason was affiliated. This group of Saints, led by Charles Price Jones, was a leading force in the rapid spread of the Holiness Movement in the South. In 1907, Mason and Young, along with one of their brethren, J. A. Jeter, started out on a spiritual journey that would impact the world when the Lord led them to the famed Azusa Street Revival, in Los Angeles, California. Led by Bishop William J. Seymour, the small mission was a holiness group who had taken a grand leap of faith in believing God for a Pentecostal outpouring as recorded in Acts 2:4, ``And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.'' Faithful to His promise, God poured out His Spirit and the once small group grew in number at a miraculous rate. Believers left various states and even foreign lands to take the pilgrimage to Azusa where they were ``Baptized with the Holy Ghost,'' and experienced the only Bible evidence, speaking in unknown tongues. In addition to this gift, the Lord poured out His Spirit, with signs such as miraculous healings. One of the most remarkable features of this wonderful move of God, however, was the presence of unity in the Spirit as believers cast away racism, sexism, classism, and various other sins that find no place in the Body of Christ. One glorious day during this historic move of God David Johnson Young was also graced with the precious Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Having all received the new gift, the three men journeyed back to Memphis leaving a blazing trail along their way as they preached conversion, sanctification, and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. However, they were met with severe disapproval. Ultimately, Jones and the official body of believers he led, withdrew the right hand of fellowship from them. Undaunted by this rejection by men and thoroughly convinced of their commission by God, Charles Harrison Mason and David Johnson Young called an assembly that same year, gathering all those who believed as they. At this meeting, the brethren considered who would oversee the new Holy Ghost led Group and Young was one who many considered worthy of this awesome task. According to oral tradition, after three days of fasting and praying, God spoke through that same servant, D. J. Young, who yet spoke in tongues and was given the interpretation: ``God has given us Brother Mason to be our leader.'' This gathering was the first national Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ. After receiving this word from God, the fledgling denomination was planted in Memphis, TN, but quickly spread its roots throughout the country. D. J. Young served as a leading instrument through his apostolic church building. He was known and referred to as one of Mason's ablest assistants during these formative years. With building churches as his passion, Young was appointed the first Overseer, or Prelate, of Arkansas, Texas, and Kansas. In 1910, while engaged in apostolic work for the Kingdom, the Lord blessed D. J. Young with an invention, ``The Young Musical Attachment for Automobiles,'' which was patented first in Canada and later the US. This tool proved invaluable as it complemented his gifting as a musician during his evangelistic travels, allowing him to ``produce harmonious chords'' as he played music from his very own automobile. He also served as the pioneer publisher of the Church of God in Christ with the founding of the D. J. Young Publishing Company when the Lord burdened him with the call to spread the full gospel in print via ``The Whole Truth.'' In 1916, elder Young made his way to his final earthly dwelling in Kansas City, Kansas. Here he founded the first Church of God in Christ, Young Memorial Church of God in Christ, in the state, and immediately began working to publish the first Sunday School literature for the still young denomination. He continued this task, supplying many of the early Saints with Spirit filled teaching, until his demise. Before the time of his going from his labor to his reward, in 1927, David Johnson Young, was successful in building the D. J. Young Publishing Company into a much honored source of gospel literature and established more than twenty-five churches in Kansas. His works, however, live on as evidenced by the thousands of souls he led to Christ, the incredible growth of the Church of God in Christ, which he was instrumental in building, and the phenomenal leaders he helped nurture in the Christian Church at large.--Ladrian Brown.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to note the death of former Kansas United States Senator James B. Pearson, who died on January 13th at the age of 88. Appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1962, upon the death of Andrew Schoeppel, James B. Pearson served our state with distinction from 1962 through 1978. Elected in 1962, and re-elected in 1966 and 1972, Senator Pearson was a workhorse, not a showhorse. A senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, he also rose to become Ranking Republican member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Senator Pearson represented our state during an important and turbulent era, addressing issues that included: the Vietnam War; the civil rights revolution; enactment of the Medicare and Medicaid programs; America's space exploration program; and deregulation of the trucking and airline industries. Senator Pearson was a voice of reason and common sense during these difficult times and I am proud that he was originally from Prairie Village, which is located in the Third Congressional District of Kansas. In 2003, I joined with the rest of the Kansas congressional delegation in authoring legislation naming the Prairie Village U.S. post office in his honor. Madam Speaker, the website for the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper recently carried a blog commentary regarding Senator Pearson's career, which I believe very accurately summarizes his service to Kansas throughout his public life. I ask that it be included with this statement, as well as the obituary article regarding Senator Pearson that was published in the Washington Post. [From the Topeka Capital Journal, Jan. 29, 2009] Mellinger: Pearson's political story is one worth remembering (By Gwyn Mellinger) Without fanfare, Jim Pearson, one of Kansas' most complex politicians, died earlier this month. Most of the state's news media marked his passing with only perfunctory notices, hardly a fitting testament to his contributions during 17 years in the U.S. Senate and another decade in various other public offices. This is what happens when you live to be 88 and choose to spend the last decades of your life in relative obscurity. In retirement, Pearson split his time between homes in Baldwin City and Gloucester, Mass. As health problems prevented travel, his visits to Kansas became fewer. Even so, he remained invested in the state whose voters sent him off to Washington and were sometimes bewildered by him. Pearson never lost the drawl that betrayed his upbringing in Tennessee and Virginia, as well as his education at Duke University and the University of Virginia School of Law. As an outsider, he launched his Kansas political career from a law practice in Johnson County, where he was a city attorney and probate judge before serving a term in the Kansas Senate. He was state Republican chairman in 1962, when Gov. John Anderson appointed him to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Andy Schoeppel. Later that year, Pearson secured the position in a special election and was re-elected in both 1966 and 1972. When he didn't seek reelection in 1978, he was succeeded by Nancy Kassebaum. With benefit of hindsight, Pearson's political record seems particularly astonishing. When Pearson ran for statewide office, his brief history in Kansas was in Johnson County. Even so, Pearson was able to win re-election to the Senate in a state whose population was then more rural, more provincial and less concentrated in the east. Moreover, Kansans re-elected Pearson after he took a decidedly liberal turn. Although Pearson generally voted with his party at the beginning of his Senate career, he broke with the Nixon administration by opposing the bombing of Laos and Cambodia. Pearson also attended meetings of the Wednesday Club, a lunch group of liberal and moderate Republican senators. When Bobby Kennedy, Pearson's UVa classmate, made a presidential campaign swing through Kansas, Pearson introduced him in Lawrence and Manhattan. In his remarks Pearson wished Kennedy continued success in the Senate, but the joint appearance was a politically incendiary move for a Kansas Republican. Pearson answered voters' concerns about ideology by advancing constituent services, rural development and the interests of the aviation, livestock, and oil and gas industries. A Republican politician with Pearson's independent spirit would have difficulty being elected today. Nor are there many who simply retire and forsake the limelight, as Pearson did. His is an example worth remembering. [From the Washington Post, Jan. 19, 2009] Progressive Republican Was a Kansas Senator (By Joe Holley) James B. Pearson, 88, a progressive Republican who represented Kansas in the U.S. Senate for almost 17 years, died Jan. 13 at his home in Gloucester, Mass. A cause of death wasn't immediately available, although Sen. Pearson had been on kidney dialysis for the past four years, said his wife, Margaret Pearson. Sen. Pearson championed deregulating natural gas, expanding international trade and reforming campaign finance, among other issues that often found him voting with his Democratic colleagues. With then-Sen. Walter F. Mondale (D-Minn.), he sponsored legislation that reduced the number of votes required to end a filibuster from 67 to 60. He also broke with the Nixon administration on efforts to end the Vietnam War. His closest Senate colleagues were Republicans Sens. Charles ``Mac'' Mathias (Md.) and Edward Brooke (Mass.) and Democrat John Culver (Iowa). David Seaton, the senator's former press secretary and now publisher of the Winfield Daily Courier, said Sen. Pearson's toughest races were always in the Republican primaries: ``For a good long time, he was not considered Republican enough by the traditional Republican party people.'' James Blackwood Pearson was born in Nashville but moved with his family as a child to the Charlottesville area, where his father was a Methodist preacher. He spent two years as an undergraduate at Duke University before becoming a Navy transport pilot during World War II. From 1943 to 1946, he was stationed at Olathe Naval Air Station in Kansas. He returned to Kansas after receiving his law degree in 1950 from the University of Virginia. He married a Kansas woman after the war and practiced law in Johnson County, Kan., during the 1950s. He also served as city attorney for several Kansas towns, as assistant county attorney and as a county probate judge. After serving a single term in the Kansas Senate, starting in 1956, he returned to his private law practice. He also served as the Republican state chairman. In January 1962, Republican Sen. Andrew Schoeppel died in office, and Kansas Gov. John Anderson, Jr. appointed Sen. Pearson to fill the vacancy. He won the GOP primary that year with 62 percent of the vote over former governor Ed Arn, then won the general election with 56 percent. He won a full six- year term in 1966 and another in 1972. As a senator, he was a member of the Appropriations and Commerce committees and served on the Foreign Relations Committee in the 1970s as the United States sought to end the Vietnam War. Seaton noted that Kansas Republicans who supported Sen. Pearson ``really did support most of the Great Society and turned against the Vietnam War fairly early.'' The senator became an opponent after the 1970 bombing of Cambodia. Sen. Pearson decided not to seek reelection in 1978 and was succeeded by Nancy Kassebaum Baker. He practiced law irk the Washington office of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Lieby and MacRae and served on the board of the Honolulu-based East-West Institute. He spent the last few years of his life in Gloucester and also had a farm in Baldwin City, Kan. His marriage to Martha Mitchell Pearson ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, of Gloucester and Baldwin City; and four children from the first marriage.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my frustration, and that of my constituents, over the irresponsible and reprehensible actions of some of those very financial services corporations that you and I and every American taxpayer have helped financially over the last few months. In October 2008 we heard about AIG's corporate retreat, complete with manicures and lavish meals. Last week we got news that Wall Street handed out $18 billion in bonuses. And just this weekend, Bank of America spent $800,000 on tents for their Super Bowl party. I could go on and on. The American people deserve better. We must demand better. That's why as chairman of the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I will be demanding greater oversight and accountability for companies receiving taxpayer funds and working in a bipartisan way to develop a structure that will regulate and supervise financial institutions and transactions. I've also spoken to my distinguished colleague from Missouri, Senator Claire McCaskill, who filed the original bill in the Senate and who shares my frustration. She's been a strong advocate for greater accountability and transparency, and I am proud to join with her to promote legislation to help address these abuses by financial services corporations receiving TARP funds. Tomorrow I will introduce the Executive Pay Act, which would ensure that no employee of a financial institution or other entity that receives funds under TARP may receive annual compensation including bonuses and stock options in excess of that paid to the President of the United States. I think we need to move together here to restore the confidence of the American people in what we are trying to do to save our economy.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of Chairman Frank's manager's amendment and the underlying legislation. I want to thank Chairman Frank and his excellent staff for working with me to address a concern I had with the original draft bill. On Tuesday, I talked to our Kansas Governor, Kathleen Sebelius. We were concerned about a provision in the bill that would have required financial firms participating in TARP to divest their companies of corporate business aircraft. While it is clear that the auto executives were very insensitive to the American taxpayers when they flew in their private jets last November to request billions of dollars in Federal assistance, a blanket prohibition against the corporate use of business aircraft would have had the unintended consequence of hurting the general aviation industry and its workers, which is important to Kansas. With nearly 44,000 Kansans who work for aviation companies like Cessna, Beechcraft, Learjet and Boeing, as well as their contracting counterparts like Garmin and Honeywell, many Kansas families depend on this industry. And the impact would have been felt not just in Kansas. General aviation contributes more than $150 billion a year to the U.S. economy and employs more than 1.2 million people. I want to thank again Chairman Frank and his staff for responding to our concerns and for striking this provision. This is good news for Kansans and aviation workers across this country. These are difficult times. I urge my colleagues to support the manager's amendment and this bill to ensure these TARP funds are responsibly allocated with strong oversight protections for the American taxpayer.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Virginia Krebs, my former colleague on the Johnson County Community College Board, JCCC, who recently stepped down from that position at the age of 89. My tenure on the JCCC overlapped with Virginia Krebs for 6 years in the 1990s. She is truly a distinguished public servant whose concern for our community has benefited her friends in neighbors, both in tangible and intangible ways, since the 1960s. Today, Sun Publications of Johnson County posted an editorial reflecting on her distinguished service and an article detailing some of the ways in which she served Johnson County and the JCCC over the past several decades. These two pieces tell her story much better than could I. I include them in the Record for review by the House membership and wish my good friend, Virginia Krebs, many happy returns on her long-delayed retirement, although I am certain she will continue to find ways of being indispensable to the JCCC and Johnson County. [From Sun Publications, Nov. 19, 2008] A Model for Public Service The departure of Virginia Krebs from the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees is a reminder of her long and distinguished service to the college. Her leadership, from JCCC's beginning, helped bring it recognition as one of the nation's most prestigious community colleges. Actually, her dedication predates the life of the college. Krebs served on the task force, appointed by the county commission in 1963, to examine the feasibility of a community college here. That three-year chore led to establishment of the college district and, in 1967, voter approval of a tax to support it. Rather than running for the board of trustees, as she was urged to do, Krebs signed on as the first employee, a part- time job as the board secretary. Later she became special assistant to the governing body. In that role she worked closely with the trustees in forming the mission and fundamental objectives of the college, along with the hiring of its first president. Her career at the college mirrored the widespread entry of women into the professions and work force. She was in her late 40s and the mother of four sons, two of them elementary school age and younger, in the early years of her time at the college. She knew from personal experience the needs of working women. As the college's director of community services--its first--in the 1970s and '80s, Krebs played a major part in creating one of the most highly respected continuing education programs in the Midwest. Her awareness of societal and economic changes led to creation of a program for women who, having raised their families, were interested in work outside the home. It helped prepare women for a new career. Krebs was on the leading edge of many activities that enriched our cultural and intellectual life. She helped organize the first county arts council, a JCCC ``Evening With the Stars,'' an astronomy venture for the public, and a speakers bureau that arranged for faculty members to appear at meetings of civic, service and community groups. A year after she retired from the college in 1984, Krebs found another way to serve. She ran for and was elected to the JCCC Board of Trustees. Voters returned her to the board six times, the most recent in 2005. She retired in mid- October. As a trustee, Krebs drew from her experience on the faculty to bring the needs of continuing education to the board. She was known as a good listener, well-read and with the ability to analyze issues with keen insight. She was not a frequent speaker at trustee meetings, but when she spoke, her comments were considered a valuable addition to the discussion and decision at hand. Virginia Krebs has been an imaginative, innovative force in this community. She deserves our praise and gratitude.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Congressional Forum luncheon group sponsored by the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce. Forty years ago in 1968, this group was founded to be a link between the elected congressional representative and the business community served by the Third District of Kansas. It has continued to the present day, and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. At that time, Congressman Larry Winn represented the Third Congressional District of Kansas in the United States House of Representatives. Budgets for travel between Washington and Kansas were limited. Congressman Winn and his chief of staff, Dick Bond, wanted to find a way for Congressman Winn to return more often to his home district. The Congressional Forum luncheon group was founded to help cover those travel costs, and to give its members a monthly report from their Member of Congress. Even after Larry Winn retired, the group and its traditions have continued. For 40 years, the scheduled speaker at Congressional Forum has been the Member of Congress for the Third Congressional District, unless he or she was unable to attend. If that was the case, then the Member of Congress made arrangements for a substitute speaker. Although the representation of the Third District has changed over the years, the Member's commitment to this unique group has not. Every Member of Congress elected since 1968 has agreed to attend and speak to this group on a regular basis. Those Members of Congress include: Congressman Larry Winn, who served in Congress from 1967 to 1985; Congresswoman Jan Meyers, from 1985 to 1997; Congressman Vince Snowbarger, from 1997 to 1999; And me, Congressman Dennis Moore, from 1999 to the present. For some time, the group actually held their meetings across the state line at the Golden Ox Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, because a portion of the parking lot of that venerable restaurant was actually in Kansas City, Kansas. At the present time, the group meets once again in the heart of downtown Kansas City, Kansas, at the Reardon Convention Center. It is a testament to this group that an organization founded by Republican business leaders has continued even when a Democratic congressman like me was elected. I have found that this group gives me a great sounding board on the thoughts of my home district. While not every member of Congressional Forum supports me at the ballot box, I know they will express their views to me with candor and courtesy. For most of its history my good friend, Dr. Fred Bosilevac presided over the Congressional Forum luncheons as its President. For most of us, Dr. Fred remains the heart and soul of the Congressional Forum luncheons. Now age 92, Dr. Fred is still an active and interested member of Congressional Forum, although Bill Eppenheimer has taken over the gavel (or rather the cowbell) as President since Dr. Fred's retirement in 2006. It is a distinct honor for me to express my affection and high regard for this unique group. A copy of my remarks will be presented at the Congressional Forum's December meeting, which hopefully will include many former Members of Congress from the Third District, as well as Dr. Fred; Bill Eppenheimer; Cindy Cash, the current President of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce; and many other important leaders to this group and our community. Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to share the story of the Congressional Forum with our colleagues.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend and constituent, the late Ellen Laner of Mission Hills, Kansas, who passed away on September 28th. Ellen Laner led a long and productive life, which served to make Johnson County, Kansas, a much better place for her neighbors and friends. Ellen was a committed and passionate community volunteer who also was very politically engaged. She was named Citizen of the Year by the United Community Services; twice named Volunteer of the Year by the Johnson County Mental Health Association; received the Hannah B. Solomon Award from the National Council of Jewish Women; awarded the Stand Up, Speak Out Award from the Mainstream Coalition; helped in the establishment of Johnson County Community College and served as a member of its Board of Trustees; had many years of service in the Kansas League of Women Voters, eventually serving as President; was very active in the establishment and growth of the Mainstream Coalition and served as President; volunteered as a Board Member of the Johnson County Library Foundation; was an active volunteer for Planned Parenthood of Kansas City and Western Missouri, working as its Resource Development Director and for a short time was its Executive Director; and was a founder of the Johnson County Coalition for Prevention of Child Abuse, now known as Sunflower House. Ellen Laner was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, the daughter of Noland and Isabel Blass. She came to the Kansas City area in 1950 after her marriage to S. Harvey ``Bud'' Laner, who preceded her in death in 1980. She was a member of the New Reform Temple and Oakwood Country Club, and loved golf, bridge, dogs, and professional sports. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Joel and Marsha Laner, and their three children, Allison Laner, Blass Laner and Duncan Laner of Kansas City, Missouri. She also is survived by her brother and his wife, Gus and Patricia Blass of Little Rock, and their children, Gus Blass, III, and his wife, Becky; by her sister Constance Blass O'Neill and her husband, Chris; her sister-in-law, Barbara Phillips of Little Rock and her children, Beverly Wittenberg and Peter Phillips and her great-nieces and nephews. Ellen Laner's civic accomplishments range far and wide, and our community owes her a great deal for her leadership in making Johnson County the strong and caring community that it is today. I was a part of the same generation of many young women, educated in colleges across the Nation in the 1960s, who ended up in Johnson County as the wives of the young men who worked in various professions and businesses in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Motivated by the political turbulence of the 1960s, we wanted to do more for our community and Nation, in addition to raising our families. Ellen's leadership in the League of Women Voters inspired both men and women to use our education to volunteer, seek public office, and take leadership roles in improving our government, our libraries, and our public schools, and the lives of those who were not as fortunate as us. Many of the women who have served Johnson County so exceptionally well as mayors, city council members, school board members and legislators were motivated, supported and inspired by Ellen Laner. Madam Speaker, we were fortunate to know Ellen Laner, and we are so very grateful for what she contributed to our lives. I am grateful to this House for giving me the opportunity to share this tribute with my fellow Members of Congress and with the American people.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support, with reservations, for the Senate amendments to H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Our Nation is facing a crisis that we've not seen since the early 1930s. If we do nothing, our small businesses will continue to suffer with limited access to credit, families will struggle to pay for college for their children and too many people will have to delay their retirement. Retirees with pension plans invested in the market will find they are not as secure as they hoped. Just today, the Government announced that 159,000 jobs were lost in September, the sharpest drop in jobs in over 5 years. This is the ninth straight month of job losses. Two weeks ago, with the economy on the verge of disaster, and the choking off of access to credit, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged congressional leaders to act on this emergency economic rescue package by saying, ``If we don't do this, we may not have an economy on Monday.'' These are words no Member of Congress wants to hear, but it is a call to action, now. I voted for the original bipartisan compromise the House considered Monday because it took necessary steps to protect American taxpayers, including a recoupment provision to ensure that every dime of taxpayer money is paid back in full. Republican and Democratic leaders supported the original compromise to get our economy back on track. The bill was far from perfect, but it also included provisions to ensure aggressive congressional and judicial oversight of the rescue programs, as well as no taxpayer-funded ``golden parachutes'' for careless Wall Street CEOs. The bill would have spread out the expenditures to make sure they are really needed, and mandated: 48-hour posting of all transactions on the Internet; warrants so taxpayers share profits; aggressive foreclosure mitigation activities, tax provisions helping community banks; and independent Inspector General oversight. But when the House failed to pass the bill on Monday, the Dow dropped 777 points, the largest single-day point drop in history. It cost the American economy more than $1.2 trillion as Americans saw their 401Ks, college accounts, and pension plans lose value. As a co-chair of the fiscally responsible Blue Dog Coalition, I have grave concerns about any legislation that passes off the costs to our children and grandchildren, adding to our $9.6 trillion debt. I would have strongly preferred that the Senate version of the bill had been written differently without all of their unrelated tax policy additions, but this is not about me. This is about preserving our way of life as a nation and restoring our economic strength. This is about making sure the economy doesn't crash to the extent that it might take decades for our children and grandchildren to put the pieces back together. Make no mistake: this crisis should not be about political opportunism. This is a time for Republicans and Democrats who are willing to put country before party, and our economic security before ideology, to come together and do what is in the best interest of our people and our country. I am just as upset as many of my constituents that our country is faced with this economic crisis. Government intervention should always be an option of last resort, but we are left with very few choices and even less time to preserve our economic stability. Inaction is simply not an option. In this difficult time, Congress must act. The Senate has spoken in a strong, bipartisan way, voting for this revised legislation by a vote of 74-25. The leadership of both parties and our two presidential candidates support this effort to rescue our faltering economy. In the short term, this relief package is an emergency line of credit, a lifeline for our drowning financial industry. In the long term, it's also an investment in bringing back a strong economy. If our economy does not recover, if we slide toward recession or worse, we will all suffer. I support this bill because I believe it's the right thing to do for our country. But enacting this emergency legislation is only the beginning. While we had to act today to preserve our economy, I will continue fighting for fiscal responsibility, putting an end to runaway deficits and our mounting $9.6 trillion debt. I will work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues on the House Financial Services Committee to aggressively investigate what went wrong in the credit markets, and work in a bipartisan way to improve the regulatory structure so we can have a modern oversight structure that will make sure firms act in a responsible way. We must continue to do all we can to protect the future economic health of the country.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of taking action to help community banks, which are an important part of our financial landscape, in Kansas and across the country. One of the lessons learned from the current financial crisis is that financial institutions that rely on core deposits are in the best position to weather a financial storm. One thing banking regulators can do to help banks attract and retain more core deposits is to recognize that certain deposits that may technically be considered as ``brokered'' nevertheless function like core deposits. This situation occurs, for instance, when insured depository institutions exchange funds, dollar-for-dollar, with members of a group of insured depository institutions, where each member of the group sets the interest rate to be paid on the entire amount of funds it places with other group members. Such an arrangement enables a member of the group to offer its customers a convenient means to obtain access to FDIC insurance on large deposits by working solely with the bank with whom the customer has a relationship. As a result, the bank is able to accept the large deposits without having to post collateral, which in turn makes more funds available to meet the credit needs of the bank's community. Regulators could take several constructive steps within the current law governing brokered deposits. First, the FDIC could permit banks that become adequately capitalized (and therefore need a waiver from the FDIC to accept brokered deposits) to continue accepting funding through the arrangement described above while a waiver request is pending. Second, the FDIC could recognize that such finding is stable and should be permitted as a general matter when the FDIC reviews a waiver request. Third, it would be appropriate for the FDIC to exclude such funding from the category of ``brokered deposits'' if the FDIC elects to charge a bank a higher insurance premium due a heavy reliance on brokered deposits. If the FDIC were to take these steps, banks--and, in particular, community banks--would be in a better position to attract and retain large deposits, thereby providing additional liquidity that the banks can use to make loans that are so vitally needed by our Nation's communities.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Barbara Knopke, who elected to the office of National President of the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic (LGAR) at their National Encampment in Peabody, MA, and installed on August 9, 2008. President Knopke has been instrumental in the Department of Kansas maintaining its vitality. Barb Knopke joined the LGAR in 2001. Recently, she, along with her daughter, Jennifer Knopke, were the driving force in organizing the new Ercelle Speaks Circle in Johnson County, KS, to which she now belongs. She held various positions within the Emma Edmond Circle and Department of Kansas. Barb has a great love for genealogy and has done extensive research on both her husband's and her heritage. She has direct lines going back to colonial times and has had direct ancestors who participated in all wars and conflicts except WWI and the Korean Conflict. Her great-great grandfather, George Washington Dittemore, served during the Civil War as a private in Company A, 13th Kansas Infantry, from 1862-65. Another great-great grandfather, Frederick Samuel Moser, also served as a private in Company C, 13th Kansas Infantry, during the same period. President Knopke was born and bred on Long Island, NY, but has called Kansas her home since 1981. She states that, ``I feel blessed with my wonderful husband, Jim, who is a member of the SUVCW, and our daughter, Jennifer, who is also a member of LGAR.'' She is also active in the Daughters of the American Revolution: ``I am in awe of my heritage and what my ancestors achieved. I feel it is my duty to keep their memory and that of all patriots of this great country alive.'' Barb is the wife of Department of Kansas Junior Vice Department Commander Jim Knopke, PDC. The Ladies of the G.A.R. is the oldest Women's hereditary organization in the United States. We are one of the five groups in the allied orders; the others being the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, The Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, the Women's Relief Corp and the Auxiliary to the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War. The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic was charted by the Congress of the United States under Public Law 86-47 in 1959, and remains dedicated to their mission today and we remain a national nonprofit organization deeply rooted in history. The Kansas Department was formed in 1885 and today we have a circle that celebrated its 113th birthday this July. There are very few that are older today. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute to Barb Knopke, and I know that all Members of this House join with me in commending her for her election to this prestigious position.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute the Masonic Lodge of my hometown, Lenexa, Kansas. Masonic Lodge #135 is celebrating the 135th anniversary of its founding this October. In reading documents compiled by Lenexa Historical Society member and Masonic Lodge leader Angelo Mino, it becomes clear that the history of this lodge is intertwined with the history of Lenexa. The Masonic Lodge was the fIrst fraternal or civic organization of Lenexa, and city leaders were often leaders of the lodge as well. Lodge members included the fIrst mayor of Lenexa, the fIrst police judge, the fIrst postmaster and the fIrst physician in the city. In 1873, the lodge received offIcial recognition from the Masonic organization, and the fIrst Eastern Star chapter was also established. In 1922, the fIrst DeMolay group in Johnson County, Kansas, received its charter, and in 1953, the Rainbow Girls Assembly #56 began. Madam Speaker, I congratulate the members of Lenexa Masonic Lodge #135 on this remarkable milestone, and thank them for 135 years of community leadership and service.

Mr. MOORE of Kansas

Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the service and sacrifice of an honorable and proud American, Mr. Raymond E. Day. Mr. Day is an 84-year-old World War II veteran living in Kansas City, Missouri. In February 1945 Mr. Day was assigned to the 155th Machine Gunner's Battalion, 5th Marine Division during the assault on the island of Iwo Jima, as part of Operation Detachment. The mission of Operation Detachment was to secure two strategic airfields, located on the well-defended and heavily fortified island. On February 23, just 4 days after arriving on Iwo Jima, Mr. Day's machine gun position took nearly a direct hit, knocking his gunner's mate, Irra Arrington, unconscious, and rendering the gun inoperable. After successfully reviving Irra, the pair continued the fight, destroying several nearby enemy positions. The pair often dodged obstacles such as barbed wire and land mines and repeatedly came under relentless attack from Japanese small arms fire, mortar fire, and artillery barrages. Again, just a few short hours later, both men were injured when an enemy artillery round destroyed their position. Mr. Day was wounded by shrapnel in the hip and left leg. Both men were evacuated to a nearby merchant marine vessel, treated for their wounds and returned to duty on the island. Mr. Day continued to fight, despite his wounds, risking death or permanent injury because that was his job, to keep the battlefront moving forward as American forces moved to secure the island. Earlier this year, I was contacted by my constituent, Norman Polsky, with a request for assistance to obtain the Purple Heart medal for his friend, Raymond Day. After researching medical records, reviewing morning reports, I have learned that Raymond Day's files were destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center. There exists no record of Mr. Day's injuries or treatment for the wounds he sustained in action either in his medical records file or in existing morning reports. It is a shame that Mr. Day is still without the Purple Heart Medal, despite the fact that the he bears the scars from the residuals of shrapnel embedded in his leg and hip, not to mention the painful memories that America's warriors guard so closely for a lifetime. It is for these reasons that I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Raymond E. Day. Without the service and sacrifice of Mr. Day, and the men and women of the ``greatest generation,'' our Nation would not be as resilient and flourishing as it is today. By continuing his mission, despite being wounded, Mr. Day lends great credit to himself, the 5th Marine Division, and the United States of America.