Kendrick Meek

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a poetic tribute in honor of our Magnificent Armed Forces and their Splendid Families this Christmas and holiday season. And for all of the ones who are so separated by the miles, so very far across the shores. Our hearts, especially go out to all of those families who have lost their greatest loves of all, in the defense of our nation. And to all of those recovering from the grave wounds of war we pray for their speedy recovery. Bless them all! I ask that this poem penned by Albert Caswell be placed in the Record in honor of them as follows: This Christmas . . . As the snow falls to the ground. . . . And all of our children dance, with songs of joy so all around . . . With stockings hung by the chimneys with care. . . . With all of those hopes and dreams, of Santa there . . . With Christmas dinners and fires all aglow, as before this family a feast lies so . . . A child is born, for all to know! But, remember . . . remember . . . remember all of those . . . Those families! Those Patriots of Peace, all them, all of these . . . The ones, who this Christmas will not together be . . . Who upon battlefields of honor fight! So far away from our Country Tis of Thee, this night . . . Men and Women of such honor bright, who for all of us . . . so carry that fight . . . Who live with such heartache and death, as on each new day their honor blesses . . . As they bless us all, with all their gifts of selflessness . . . And all of those ones, whose greatest of all loves . . . now so lie in soft quiet graves . . . Precious Daughters and Sons, Husbands and Wives . . . Fathers and Mothers, Sisters and Brothers who so gave . . . Who so gave That Last Full Measure . . . did they! Whose loved ones pain, can not be healed by time, nor so divided . . . Who on this Christmas morning, sit with tears in eyes . . . With one less place set at the dinner table this year . . . as they cry . . . And all of those who have come home, without arms and legs . . . Blessing us with their fine gifts of courage displayed! Making us all so see, just how magnificent and inspiring a heart can be! And all of those with loved ones, who are so far across the shores . . . As each new day but brings such great worry . . . sure . . . But, waiting . . . but waiting for, that knock on the door . . . That phone call, that they now not so pray for . . . Quiet Heroes, one and all! Watching them from Heaven, The Angel's tear drops fall . . . Lord God, Lord God . . . Bless Them . . . Bless Them All! For So Many, So Few Have But Paid The Cost! So bore the burden, so carry that cross! That cross of war! This Christmas, as you hold your families tight . . . And seem so fine, and so very right . . . And you see those smiles, of your children very bright . . . Give thanks, Give praise . . . as upon your knees fall and pray . . . For all of those families, who've sacrificed . . . and blessings of freedom they gave! This Christmas . . .

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a poetic tribute in honor of our magnificent Armed Forces and their splendid families this Hanukkah, and holiday season. And for all of the ones who are so separated by the miles so very far across the shores. Our hearts, especially go out to all of those families who have lost their greatest loves of all, in the defense of our Nation. And to all of those recovering from the grave wounds of war we pray for their speedy recovery. Bless them all! I ask that this poem penned by Albert Caswell be placed in the Record in honor of them as follows: This Hanukkah This Hanukkah . . . As the family gathers round . . . All in This Festival of Lights to be found . . . All in this time of remembrance, as described in the Talmud of long . . . long ago . . . With eights days of light and remembrance, of events so miraculous so . . . As the children dance with songs of joy, and the love of your family grows . . . Reciting Hallel prayer, and the games, as the Dreidels spin there so . . . We should also remember, this other miracle of all of those . . .

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the humanitarian assistance efforts of the U.S. Southern Command, whose headquarters is in south Florida. Last week, El Salvador was hit with torrential rain storms, causing massive flooding and mudslides that devastated parts of that country. Nearly 200 people were killed. Many thousands more were left stranded and in immediate need of assistance. The very next day--the same day our Nation paused to celebrate Veterans Day--U.S. troops deployed nearby in Honduras boarded helicopters bound for the affected areas. These troops spent their Veterans' Day partnering with their counterparts in El Salvador, supporting them in saving lives and fulfilling a mission of cooperation that continues to serve our Nation well. In just four days our troops distributed more than 217,000-pounds of aid to villages completely isolated due to damaged roads and bridges. They brought food, water, milk, clothing and other emergency necessities. I understand that these airlifts were the only source of lifesaving supplies for the stranded village. So, Madam Speaker, I rise to offer my thoughts and prayers to the people of El Salvador, and to also express my appreciation and admiration for the members of U.S. Southern Command.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, today I rise on behalf of American consumers who have contacted me about their discontent regarding bank overdraft fee policies. Most, if not all, of these individuals are everyday Americans who regularly monitor their spending and account usage. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are victims of unfair and excessive overdraft fees charged by banks. In light of these many concerns, I believed that it was imperative to speak to citizens directly in an open forum about their worries and how Congress should act on their behalf. I hosted an online chat session this past week where American consumers had the opportunity to share their stories with me. This issue was first raised on a local level by Mike Holfeld, an investigative reporter at WKMG in Orlando. If the Speaker would allow, I would like to relay a few of their stories: Kathryn McCarrey is a 32-year-old mother of two from Groveland, Florida who has been a customer with Bank of America since 2005. She complained that she has been unfairly charged hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees over the past 2 years. She stated, ``Just last week I printed my screen with [my] bank balance 3 days in a row to prove that the bank was charging erroneous fees . . . I cannot afford to continue giving money to the bank!'' Lauren Fant is a University of Central Florida student and customer at SunTrust Bank. She was fined three consecutive overdraft charges of $39 in August for three transactions that only went through a week after she made them. Although her overdraft amount was only $12, her fees totaled $117. David Spatzer, also from Orlando, was hit with over $700 worth of charges in the past 2 months. When he went to his bank for help, he was told to take out a loan at 12 percent interest. He collects monthly Social Security checks while also working at Disney World. His checking account, however, approves transactions even when he does not have enough of a balance in his account. Floridians and individuals throughout our Nation are currently going through similar circumstances as Kathyrn, Lauren and David. Congress needs to institute proper notification features at the point of transaction in cases of possible overdraft. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the consumers mentioned above and the numerous others who reached out to me about their concerns on bank overdraft fee policies, I implore all members of this esteemed legislative body to work toward providing consumers with the safeguards necessary to make educated financial decisions without being charged exorbitant and unfair bank overdraft fees by their banks.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize LCDR Pia Sermonia Woodley for her 20 years of service as a Medical Services Corps Officer as she retires on December 4. She has had a long and admirable career, worthy of distinction and worthy of our gratitude. In the 20 years that Lieutenant Commander Woodley served as a Medical Services Officer, she deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, has been awarded numerous awards and citations, and served as the Special Assistant to the Director of Administration at the Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth. LCDR Pia Sermonia Woodley is a native Floridian born in Miami to Otis L. (deceased) and Beatrice S. Boston. A product of the inner city of Miami, she graduated from Miami Central Senior High School in 1984. She then attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida where she obtained her bachelors of science degree in Healthcare Management which in time led her to seek commissioning in the U.S. Navy. She earned her direct commission as a Medical Services Corps Officer in 1989. She was first assigned to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. As a Division Officer in the Staff Education and Training Department, she worked as an Instructor, a job she thoroughly enjoyed. Her next tour of duty took her to the Far East at the Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan. There she performed duties as a Division Officer in Materiels Management and then in Manpower. Selected to attend graduate school, she earned a Masters of Science degree in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. She applied her graduate level skills to the Chief, Imaging and Medical Support Equipment Branch at the Department of Defense Medical Standardization Board in Frederick, Maryland. Following these tours she returned to Florida and served as the Head of the Materials Management Department at Naval Hospital Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida. Afterwards, she completed a third tour of duty in Maryland as the Program Manager of the Medical Support Directorate at the Naval Medical Logistics Command in Frederick, Maryland. While serving as the Special Assistant to the Director of Administration, she earned a mid-tour assignment as the Logistics Officer for the Surgeon General of the Multi-National Forces-Iraq in Baghdad, Iraq. She culminated her last year of service as the Assistant Department Head of the Human Resources Management Department. Her personal decorations include the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Medal with Bronze Star, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Lieutenant Commander Woodley is honored to be the wife of Anthony Ray Woodley and the mother of Xavier Alan Woodley. She is the sister of Otis Alan Boston and Brandy Othea Sermon Boston and childhood friend of Sara Bellamy. And we thank her family for the strength and support they have provided here as she has provided the same for this Nation.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Chair, I rise today in full support of the Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009. When the CARD Act came to the floor in April, I rose in support of the bill but was frustrated by the delay in its implementation. I am pleased that this bill makes that correction and puts the CARD Act into effect before the winter holidays, when so many consumers will need the protections that the act creates. My Statement for the Record in April on the CARD Act discussed the need to bring immediate relief to consumers. While expediting the implementation of the CARD Act is a strong first step, I believe we must continue to do more. Consumers desperately need legislation that will allow them to make informed financial decisions and protect them from unfair lending and banking practices. Despite, or perhaps because of the impending enactment of the CARD Act, banks are continuing to charge substantial penalty rates and fees, and raking in over $19 billion from these fees. With the average American's credit card debt reaching nearly $10,000 in 2007, consumers are in real need of not only protection from unfair fee impositions, but in need of information as well. I am supportive of the CARD Act because it requires consumers to opt-in to over-limit fees at one time for each credit card they have. I believe this is the first step in helping consumers make more informed financial decisions. Our next step should be to put in place a mechanism to inform consumers at the point that a debit transaction to their checking or savings accounts will result in an overdraft and attendant fees. Consumers should be able to make financial decisions with real-time information at their fingertips. By giving consumers the ability to elect whether or not to perform a transaction that will result in overdraft and the attendant fee on any given transaction, they are given the power to make responsible decisions and many won't have to worry about starting in the red at the beginning of every month. Consumers should be financially empowered, not defenseless against the whims of credit card issuers. I am pleased to support this bill which works to do that by halting these unfair fee practices and allowing individuals to set their own credit limits, so they don't unwittingly accumulate debt they can't possibly get out of. It also protects those who do make their payments on time, preventing them from being charged interest on debts paid during the grace period. And it gives consumers real information about the financial consequences of their decisions, by showing them the interest they are paying and have paid, and the length of time it will take to pay off the debt at the minimum monthly payment rate. Consumers are being hit on all sides, with unfair credit card fees, overdraft banking fees and rising costs of goods and services. We must continue to work to protect consumers as financial institutions look to them to make up money lost in the economic downturn. I know I will continue to work hard on my legislation to bring financial relief to millions of Americans through bank abuse protections, and other efforts Chairwoman Maloney makes to protect consumers and small businesses from unfair lending. I support the Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009 and urge its final passage. Ms. McCOLLUM Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my strong support for the Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act, H.R. 3639, which will accelerate the effective date for recently enacted credit card reforms to December 1, 2009. Millions of American families have become trapped in a never-ending cycle of debt due to ``double-billing'' and other dubious credit card industry practices. On May 22, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act, the CARD Act, P.L. 111-24, to end unfair and anticompetitive practices. In the months following enactment of this law, many credit card companies have attempted to circumvent reforms by raising interest rates and decreasing credit limits on their customers before the reforms take effect in early 2010. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, interest rates on over 90 percent of all outstanding credit card balances in the United States increased during the first 6 months of this year. This is totally inexcusable and evidence of why strong consumer protections in the credit card industry are needed. H.R. 3639 accelerates the effective date of the CARD Act reforms while making sensible exceptions for small credit card issuers and prepaid gift cards. I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 3639 and I voted in support of the rule to allow its consideration on the House floor. Unfortunately, I was unavoidably detained when the final vote was taken. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of passage.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Ms. Eva Mae Harden. It is with both profound sadness, but also an enduring sense of gratitude that I recognize her for the tremendous inspiration she provided to the South Florida community. Ms. Harden was born on March 15, 1914, in Leesburg County, Georgia to the late Charlie and Roxie Brown. She later married the late Fletcher Harden. Once Ms. Harden relocated to Miami, Florida in 1951, she began her journey through traveling with the church and crossing the border of many foreign countries. She remarried her husband Fletcher Harden in 1981 and the two celebrated their Golden Anniversary in the same church she diligently served in for 60 years. Moreover, Ms. Harden served on the Deaconess Board, the Board of Missions and the Senior Saints at Bethel Full Gospel Baptist Church. She was relentless when it came to giving to the church, and she paid her tithes and offerings throughout her 60 years of membership. Ms. Harden was blessed with a loving family who took pleasure in every aspect of her life and her interests. I offer my heartfelt condolences to her five children and a total of 135 grandchildren; great grandchildren; great, great grandchildren; and great, great, great grandchildren. Madam Speaker, I ask you and all the members of this esteemed legislative body to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life of Ms. Eva Mae Harden. She will be missed by all who knew her, and I appreciate this opportunity to pay tribute to her before the United States House of Representatives. While she will indeed be missed, her legacy, as well as the outstanding contributions she made to Bethel Full Gospel Baptist Church will live on.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I would like to ask unanimous consent to withdraw my name from H.R. 676 and H.R. 3012.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence, a widespread tragedy that indiscriminately affects families of all races and classes, is a serious crime that has no social barriers. From our own family members to medical professionals to educators to law enforcement officers to community/clergy leaders-- we must all work together to ensure that we are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of domestic violence and, in turn, prevent the crime from continuing throughout our communities. I have seen firsthand the impact this issue has on individuals in urban and rural areas alike. Domestic violence crosses economic lines, geographic lines and ethnic lines. In 2008, Miami-Dade and Broward County had a total of 18,312 reported domestic violence cases varying from offenses such as aggravated assault to stalking to forcible rape. With so many of these unsettling offenses taking place in my District, I will continue to ensure that significant progress is being made on this issue during my tenure in Congress. It is vital that we direct attention to domestic violence and assure that there are available resources to assist victims and families in recovering from these abuses. We must combat this continuous plague that wreaks havoc on our increasingly-stressed health care network, our over-flowing criminal justice system, and our day-to-day life within our communities. Florida's county and jurisdictional domestic violence offenses in 2008 totaled an unfortunate 113,123 cases. National Domestic Violence Awareness Month should remind us to continue ensuring that Federal grants made under the Violence Against Women Act go towards essential shelter operations and support services. Moreover, we must ensure that shelters and crisis centers receive sufficient funding to provide this safety net to some of our most vulnerable citizens. Madam Speaker, I stand today before my colleagues to ask for continued support and assistance of domestic violence prevention programs. It is essential that we not only draw attention to domestic violence this month, but continue making progress on this devastating problem so that it will no longer affect our communities and families. As we remember the victims of domestic violence, we must learn from their courage and work to assure that our communities are safe places to live, work, and raise our families. In Florida and throughout our nation, education, enforcement and support are the keys to solving and breaking the cycle of domestic violence.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 20th Anniversary of the Sunshine Slopers Ski Club, the first African- American ski club in the state of Florida. Skiing, a sport that is an exhilarating activity that allows individuals and families to enjoy a natural environment and participate in physical activity, may seem uncommon for residents in the State of Florida. Yet, the Sunshine Slopers Ski Club prospered throughout the last 20 years into a popular and successful club that positively impacts African-American communities through programs that provide opportunities for adults and youth to participate in recreational and competitive skiing. On June 28, 1989, the first organizational meeting of the Sunshine Slopers, Inc. was held at the North Dade Regional Library in Miami Gardens, Florida. Subsequent meetings were held at the same location while the group developed a club logo, selected club colors, and elected officers. By September 5, 1989, the club was established with 36 charter members and was accepted as a developmental club of the Eastern Region of the NBS. The Sunshine Slopers, Inc. was incorporated on October 2, 1989, thereby becoming the first African-American ski club in the State of Florida. Soon thereafter, the officers began to get the club active through involvement in ski-better workshops and attending eastern regional board meetings. The groups first trips were: Beech Mountain, North Carolina; Snowshoe, West Virginia; Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Mini-Summit, and Smugglers Notch, Vermont, Winterfest. On March 22, 1990, during the American Challenge Cup Mini-Summit at Heavenly Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe, the Sunshine Slopers, Inc. was officially accepted into the National Brotherhood of Skiers by the national president Paul Ray, national membership director Naomi Bryson and eastern region vice president Jeanie Polk. Sunshine Slopers, Inc. was recognized by Polk as the fastest growing club in the country. At the end of its first year, membership was approximately 140 which included singles, married couples and children. Currently, there are about 200 members of the club. The Sunshine Slopers strongly supports the NBS' key focus of finding and developing Olympic caliber skiers. Their focus is one of a kind, and fosters assertiveness, self-actualization, and self-determination. Additionally, they aim to develop leaders that are a benefit to various communities. The NBS provides funding to its youth programs in support of young athletes who otherwise would not have the opportunity or financial resources to ski competitively or recreationally. Madam Speaker, please join me in applauding Sunshine Slopers Ski Club as it celebrates 20 years of synonymous and exceptional experience to the sport of skiing--which in turn offers unique opportunities to allow all Floridians and Americans a chance to be together outside and enjoy the season. I appreciate this opportunity to congratulate Sunshine Slopers Ski Club before the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a poetic tribute penned by Albert Carey Caswell in honor of and in memory of a truly great American. Heaven Holds a Place Heaven holds a place! For all of those whom have so held such faith! Who, no matter how dark the days . . . Somehow, always so kept pace! Heaven holds a place! For such men of love and grace . . . Who all the while, somehow always kept their smile . . . No matter the darkest of days! All in what, they so faced . . . Yes, Heaven so holds a place! For men of peace, and of such grace! Who have so fought for the poor, the sick, and the old each day! Heaven, so holds a place! For those who gave warmth, even though the wind's turned cold they faced . . . For all those who have so loved children, our Lord God so holds a special place! For a 77 year old man, who with the heart of a child who would stand . . . Who somehow ever wore a smile! Who touched all those around him, all the while! Yes, Teddy . . . Heaven so holds a place! For heroes like you, who had to wipe those tears from your face! Holding a family together, with an of your courage and grace! Yes, for you Ted . . . Heaven so holds a place! For men who have so fallen from grace . . . And, but asked for redemption, and so prayed and prayed . . . As our Lord so heard you calling, calling night and day . . . As such burdens, upon your own soul you placed! As for redemption you so prayed! Men who have taught love, not hate! Why, Heaven so holds a place! Who in the darkness cried out such tears, as the new day they faced . . . For all those with hearts like of a lion . . . Who for mankind, never stopped trying! For you see, such things . . . time can not so erase! And for such men, Heaven so holds a place! In loving memory of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. May God bless you and your family . . .

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late Pastor Cleo O. Albury Jr., a beloved community leader, public servant and religious leader in my district. Pastor Albury was the pastor at Bible Missionary Baptist Church of Miami, Florida. Pastor Albury, a Miami, Florida native, was an honor graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, attended Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and graduated from the Southern Baptist Seminary Extension. Moreover, Pastor Albury was one of the first African- American Floridians to solo an aircraft in the United States Air Force. Having dedicated his life to the church community, Pastor Albury began his pastoral career as pastor of the Mount Sinai Baptist Church from 1969 to 1973, and followed as pastor and charter member of the Bible Baptist Church until 1999. As pastor of Bible Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Albury organized a $2 million dollar facility development program for the church and the community; instituted a food bank to combat hunger in Miami-Dade County; and created a contingency fund for the unemployed and needy in Miami-Dade County through the church. Pastor Albury's other community and religious involvement included: former member of Evangelism Task Force for Southern Baptist Convention, former board member of Direct Action and Research Training Center, D.A.R.T., former board member of People United to Lead the Struggle of Equality, P.U.L.S.E., and he led the 1983 missionary teaching and ministry program for the churches in Ghana, West Africa. Madam Speaker, I ask you and all the members of this esteemed legislative body to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life and accomplishments of Pastor Cleo O. Albury Jr. Pastor Albury's life was a triumph, and he was blessed with a loving family who took pleasure in every aspect of his life and his interests. I commend him for his dedication to both Bible Missionary Baptist Church and the Baptist community as a whole. He will be missed by all who knew him, and I appreciate this opportunity to pay tribute to him before the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Sergeant Ronnie O'Neal Brown, a nearly 20-year- veteran of the Polk County Sheriffs Office, who recently passed as a result of injury suffered in the line of duty. He worked tirelessly to provide the citizens of Polk County with safety and service. Sergeant Brown was hired as a detention deputy in October 1989 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in April 1997. He was most recently assigned to the South County Jail in Frostproof, Florida as a supervisor in Delta Platoon. Sgt. Brown was injured in the line of duty on Sunday, August 30, 2009, after responding to a disturbance in an unruly prisoner's cell in the South County Jail. On Monday, September 7, 2009, he passed away. During his nearly 20-year career, Sgt. Brown was known for his professionalism, attention to detail, positive influence on those around him, and his excellent work ethic. His personnel file is filled with accolades and letters of recognition for his hard work and dedication to the agency and to his fellow agency members. In May 2007, he and two other detention deputies were awarded a Meritorious Service Medal for providing CPR to an unresponsive inmate in the jail. It is quite clear that Sgt. Brown demonstrated a passion for law enforcement and commitment to helping others, qualities that enabled him to become a respected and model member of the Polk County Sheriffs Office. Sgt. Brown was a loving husband, proud father, and devoted friend. He is survived by his wife Albertina Brown, a detention deputy assigned to the inmate booking area in Bartow, Florida, and one daughter. Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing Sgt. Brown's extraordinary life and many accomplishments within the Polk County Sheriffs Office. I appreciate this opportunity to pay tribute to him before the United States House of Representatives. Sgt. Brown was an outstanding American worthy of our collective honor and appreciation. It is with deep respect and admiration that I commend him for his contributions to his community and the many lives that he touched while serving as a shining example of his legacy.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, once again it's an honor to come before the House, and I look forward to always coming to the floor. As you know, the 30 Something Working Group, we've been working now not only through the 108th Congress but all the way up through the 111th Congress. We pride ourselves on coming to the floor, talking about issues that are not only facing Americans but the challenge that we have as policymakers here in Washington, D.C., to make sure that we provide the kind of leadership that the constituents in our various districts, the people in our States and, of course, the entire country deserve. To try to achieve that is definitely a hard thing to do at times but very easy to do when we work together. As I start off every Special Order, Mr. Speaker and Members, I just want us to continue to stay focused on what's going on not only here domestically but also throughout the world, not only our men and women in uniform but those that work in the Diplomatic Corps and the State Department who are deployed throughout the world. We do know that we have individuals who have to clean sand out of their boots and stand up on behalf of our country in the theater of war in two areas. As of today at 10 a.m., the death toll in Iraq is 4,347 troops and soldiers; those who were wounded in action and have returned to duty is 17,633; also wounded in action, not returning to duty is 3,861. The death toll in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, is 830; wounded in action and have returned to duty is 1,506; wounded in action but not returning to duty is 2,390. I think it's important, Mr. Speaker, that every time we get the opportunity, we definitely appreciate not only those that are enlisted now, but the Reservists, National Guard units, the many veterans out there who have served and also their families. We must show them a great deal of appreciation to allow us to salute one flag. My uncle served in the Korean War and saw a little action in the Vietnam War. He recently passed on. He was not only honored to get medical health care at the end of his life over at Bay Pines Medical Center in Bay Pines, Florida, but he also had the honor, along with many heroes and sheroes, to have his final resting place be over at Arlington National Cemetery. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of discussion about this issue of health care, and I think that it's important that we continue to have not only that discussion but some action. When I first came to the floor last week and we reconvened as a Congress, we talked about a number of the issues that are facing not only Americans, but we have talked about what happened at town hall meetings, and we have talked about that we wondered where the President stands. We had a lot of discussion going back and forth, whether it be members of the Republican Caucus or members of the Democratic Caucus and even our two Independents who are over in the U.S. Senate, a great discussion, a great discourse, a lot of Congressional Record statements made. A lot were entered without an official statement on the floor, but just in writing. And still this debate continues. We know that we have at least four working documents that are out there right now. We know that the chairman of the Finance Committee in the Senate has been working, along with Senators on both sides of the aisle, to be able to come to some sort of resolution where Americans will be able to say that those of us here in Washington are working and that we will get to a final resolution more sooner than later to make sure that the insurance companies are no longer doing what they have been doing to the American people and what they are doing to the American people. That is, pushing up rates, pushing up copays, and denying coverage for some Americans when they have worked very, very hard. Some people pay $300, $400 in a paycheck, some personal testimonies, $1,200 for a 4-week period to insure their families. Now I'm not going to stand here and tell you that they were able to do that on their own. They are able to keep not only the CEO's benefits at the levels that they are--benefits that an average American would never see or paychecks that the average American would never see. The average American will never be able to live in the type of gated community that some of these insurance executives are living in right now. And the executives will never be able to understand what it means to visit their doctor and be denied coverage for a procedure that is needed. They would never have that opportunity. But I'm not going to even blame it on the insurance executives, to say that they have set forth the environment in which they are able to stand in judgment of an individual's health care, even when there is a doctor that is recommending that their patient receive a certain procedure or a test that has to be carried out. The environment would not be what it is today if the Congress was to do its job. If we were to do our job, then we wouldn't have some of the horror stories that we've been hearing over a period of time. We would not have constituents calling their Congressman or Congresswoman saying, I need you to call this 1-800 number for me because I need an operation or my husband needs an operation or my child needs an operation. We cannot operate that way because everyone can't call their Member of Congress or their elected official or the mayor to be able to stand for them. It is important, and I come to the floor today to say that it's imperative--even adding on to important, even more--that we follow through. Mr. Speaker, I'm speaking here with a bipartisan voice because something that I saw when the President came to speak to us last week-- it seems like it was 2 weeks ago but it was last week--he talked about passing a health care package that would not add one red cent to the debt. I think that's important. I think that's a value that this Congress can embrace on both sides of the aisle. He also said that he would not sign a bill that would allow insurance companies to deny people based on preexisting conditions or family history. That's a value. That's something sound that we can both agree with. I was pleased to see my colleague on the Republican side of the aisle in the Republican response after the President's speech say, There are some things that we agree on, and that was one of them--no longer allowing insurance companies to deny individuals on family history or preexisting conditions. That was major, as far as I'm concerned. I was, once upon a time, a public worker, a State trooper in Florida; and even before I was a student at Florida A&M, I was a skycap at the airport. I used to carry furniture at the Jewish Home for the Aged down in Miami. I have worked in the thrift shop. And even though part of that time I enjoyed being on my mother's health plan, I knew what it meant to kind of be in that area where, ``I hope I don't get hurt because I don't have the kind of insurance that I need as a skycap.'' Now it's important that we take this ``no longer being denied on preexisting conditions or family history'' and look at that as a bipartisan move from this point on. There should no longer be a debate on whether we agree on that or not. That's a softball. But I want to say, Mr. Speaker and Members, that it took us decades to get to that point. The reason why Members are now emboldened to say, Well, I agree with that provision, is that the leadership was provided to set the environment for them to say yes to that, for Democrats to say yes to that, for Republicans to say yes to that, and for our two Independents in the Senate to say yes to that, that they agree with that as a principle and a bedrock of this health care reform. I think something that's also so very, very important--many times here on this floor, we have had discussions of urban versus rural. When you look at this health care debate, and you look at how Members are coming to the table, needing not only the resources to be able to bring about a medical home for individuals that do have insurance--and in this bill we're achieving that, of making sure that a super, super majority, into the high nineties, have an insurance card and that they're able to go in and get preventive care and to also go in and get a procedure that they need and cannot be denied--but to be able to have that, they have to have a medical home. In the legislation, we're talking about community health centers having more capacity to be able to take on everyday Americans, not just indigent, not just individuals that don't have a primary doctor. This is to allow individuals that are in the top 1 percent or the top 2 percent of income gatherers here in this country to be able to go to their medical home, whether it be a community health center or they can go to their own doctor, but they'll at least have the capacity to be able to have that medical home. This is important in rural America and in rural Florida. Right now as I travel throughout the State of Florida, there are a number of people saying, You know, Kendrick, I kind of like this health care thing, but I don't have a car, and I have to drive 2 or 3 hours to go see a primary doctor. The reason why that primary doctor is not there is because of the lack of Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement or a constituency that will help keep that practice afloat. So when you have in not only H.R. 3200 but in other work products that are here in Congress these community health centers as a foundation, as a base, as a bedrock of this health care reform package, I think we would look at it from the standpoint of saying that people will have a medical home to go to, but they will no longer have to drive for miles and miles and miles and lose doctors that come in and do their residency but cannot afford to stay in that rural or emerging county as it relates to that population because they don't have the backing and the incentives. I can tell you in that House product that those incentives are there to be able to not only encourage those doctors and medical professionals to stay there but to provide a medical home. Now I want to let you know that as we look at the different proposals--and we know that Members have their own version of what they feel health care reform should be--I can tell you with the proper leadership, I know that Democrats, Republicans and Independents can come together on making sure that we work with a public and private system as we see in both proposals, in both House and Senate, one that has a private exchange along with a public option that will allow those who cannot afford to be a part of the private exchange to no longer find themselves in the ranks of the uninsured. Now why do I say that, Members? I say that that is key and that is important so that the individuals that do have insurance--like myself and probably everyone in this Chamber because we are public workers-- that they will no longer take our premiums up throughout America to 250-plus million Americans that do have insurance because of the uninsured ranks there because someone has to pay for their health care. And that's the reason why we have the $20 tablet of aspirin. That's the reason why a box of tissues in the hospital is far beyond anything that you would ever pay for, even if you were to go into the gift shop in a Ritz-Carlton to buy a box of tissue. It costs more in that public hospital or that private hospital than it costs at some five-star hotel because that cost has to be covered someway, somehow. It's very, very important that everyone understands, as it relates to this overall application of health care, that we have to make sure that we provide a public and a private opportunity for individuals to be able to receive insurance. I come from a State, Mr. Speaker, where you have over 3,500 Floridians that lose their insurance every week. That's the reality. That's what's going on. And to just use that statistic as some sort of backdrop for a political speech or a backdrop to just make a point is really robbery to those individuals of the 3,500 and the 80 percent of Floridians that do have insurance. It's robbery to be able to use that as a talking point without following it up to say that action will take place; and we will have a paradigm shift to make sure those 3,500 Floridians--which adds up to a little bit over 80,000, 85,000 Floridians that are losing their insurance every year. And that automatically we know for that 80 percent or a super majority of Floridians that do have insurance, many of whom, I must add, Mr. Speaker, are on Medicare, which I must say is a public option and a lot of people would have a lot of choice words if you tried to do away with Medicare now. I think that it's important that we also understand that in this debate Members are going to be misunderstood, but the foundation of the debate should be about action. I have a book full of statistics, both pro and con. The statistics are not going to help bring insurance costs down or make sure that people have health care or make sure that individuals do not find themselves becoming bankrupt because one of their family members has a medical emergency and their insurance ran out in the first 10 days and now they're on their own and they're in open water. And we have some facilities, believe it or not, legal or illegal, denying care to individuals that are Americans, those that have paid their taxes and have done all of the things we've asked them to do, but based on the fact that they don't have enough coverage, are underinsured, and those that find themselves uninsured because they cannot afford the premium or they can't afford the copays, they find themselves waiting. We have a lot of 50-somethings and early 60- somethings that are waiting to make it to Medicare for them to get a procedure that they should have gotten 7 years ago. And now the situation is even worse. It's going to cost not only me more, but it's going to cost everyone that I represent back in Florida more because of the paralysis of analysis that has taken place here in the halls of Congress. Let me tell you there were some things that I was very pleased to hear during the joint session. I was happy to hear that the President was determined to be the last President to deal with this issue because I have been in politics now, or, you may say, elected service, as a public servant now for 15 years, going on 16 years. I am a second- generation Member, Mr. Speaker, as you can also appreciate. My mother before me served in this House for some 10 years. Then before that she served in the legislature and the senate and the House of Representatives and worked at a community college. So we come from a family of public servants. I was a State trooper, served in the legislature for 8 years, came here and am serving to the best of my ability. I can't remember an election, Mr. Speaker, that I didn't have somewhere in a stump speech that I wanted to make sure that we can make health care affordable for all Americans and bring down the costs of health care for those that are paying too much and getting too little. This health care reform package is more of a bill of rights for those of us that are out here punching in and punching out every day, signing in and signing out every day, making sure that we raise our children and do the things that we need to do to make this country strong. This bill and this concept of reform is not only for health care insurance but making sure that no American that pays for insurance finds themselves in a situation where they've sacrificed what kind of milk they buy, need it be soy milk or regular milk; or what kind of bread they buy, need it be the bread on sale or whole wheat bread; or what kind of eggs they buy, need it be organic or nonorganic eggs. It should not be based on the fact that, well, I have to pay $400 or $300 out of every pay period to be able to cover health care costs for my family, for it to be there when we need it, and then they find themselves in a situation when they need it and they pull that card out of their wallet, Mr. Speaker, thinking that they're on their way to getting something, to only find out that the card that they had in their wallet wasn't even worth the plastic that it was made out of. They find themselves paying out of pocket, even before, some $25 to $3,000 or $1,600 of money that they didn't have in the first place--I'm going to break this down--going to the credit union trying to get a signature loan. This is for real. This is what happens in America. This is what happens in Florida every day. Calling family members, disclosing to third cousins the personal medical crisis that they're going through that's quite personal in many cases, to be able to swallow pride and ask them for help when they've been paying $200, $300 out of their pay period for health care insurance. That's not what it's about. So I'm seeing, Mr. Speaker and Members, and I'm pleased to see, that the debate is now moving forward. We agree that something should happen, and something will happen. And the leadership, from the executive branch to legislative leaders, are saying if there are constructive components that can be placed into this insurance reform legislation, then we definitely would like to hear it. Now, I, for one, have not and will not in this debate come to the floor to advocate any Canadian-style plan that's just a public plan. That's not what it's about, even though we know that Medicare is a plan that's similar but not the same. Medicare has private entities that are there that are helping to close the gap, but the Federal Government is making sure that our seniors that have paid into it have something to fall back on. I can tell you also that when we look at this issue of health care and we look at the experience that real Americans and, I would add, Floridians are going through today, I wanted to come here today with really a voice of what the everyday individual is paying and what they're getting. 535 Members between the House and Senate. I think it's important that people understand that our experience is totally different from the everyday American or our constituents' experience. In 7 years in Congress, I must say that I have had some family members that have had a medical dilemma. I haven't been denied anything. I'm a Member of Congress. I don't think my constituents, and I said this last week and I will say it this week, elected me to say, Kendrick, I want you, your wife, and your two children to have better health than I could ever have. I just want you to have that, and that's the reason why I'm showing up early at seven o'clock on a Tuesday morning to vote for you. No. I think they voted to say that I know that you know what I'm going through, and I'm sending you to Washington, D.C., to give voice to my cause. And the cause of the everyday American is making sure that government will not be a part of the handshake deal, need it be a Democrat or Republican administration. The fact that doctors are spending more and more time on the phone talking to someone in Sioux City, Iowa, like David Letterman would say, in a cubicle, trying to convince them that their patient needs a procedure or a test and that they need to cover it, they should not look at that person's file and say, Oh, well, you've had this, that, and the other. Well, I don't think that you're eligible for it. If you're paying for it, you get it. That's the school I come from. So I think that it's important that no matter what your economic background is, you go into work every day and you buy health care insurance, you're in an exchange, and you have put forth the sacrifice, that you weren't able to put dollars into a college fund, that you were not able to do the things that you wanted to do, need it be whatever your religion may be, that when it comes around to that time of year, you weren't able to provide the kinds of things you wanted to provide. You were not able to have that vacation that you were looking forward to that you feel you needed to do. You could not go off to the church or synagogue or what have you, off to camp to study more, or the mosque, that you could not go because financially you're too busy paying more every year into your health care insurance. It's not on that individual that's trying to have adequate health care, Mr. Speaker and Members; it's on us. We have the responsibility, Democrats and Republicans, to meet that common ground to be able to make it happen. Now, for those leaders, I must add, need it be here in Congress or in a State or in a local community, sitting on the sideline of the biggest debate that has everything to do with the multinational companies that are U.S.-based being at a competitive disadvantage because of the lack of policy here on this floor to set the stage so that health care costs are not where they are right now, they're at a disadvantage. And when they're at a disadvantage, that means that they cannot provide jobs. That goes all the way down to that small business. I talk to small businessmen and women every day, need it be through e-mail or by talking on the phone. And they say, You know, Kendrick, it pains me when I try to buy insurance as an employer, and people don't talk about that a lot, based on the individuals that I employ and based on their health care background, I pay more because I'm in a rural part of Florida where, probably, the diet is not what it should be or whatever the case may be or family history or what have you, and that plays a factor. I have talked to businessmen and women that have a plant here and a plant there, and it costs more for the plant over here in this county versus the other county. So I don't know what goes into this whole insurance coverage and what the executives look at, but I can tell you this: That's painful for that individual that's providing jobs, because they know that their insurance is not adequate enough to make sure that their employees who helped build their company to where it is today, who allow them to live in the house that they live in, who allow them to celebrate the kind of life that they celebrate--they care about those individuals because those individuals made their company and built their family name, if that company is named after their family, to what it is today. So there is an attachment that's there. So I think it's important when we look at this health care issue, we have to look at it from the perspective that not only does it deal with everyday Americans, it deals with everyday business, and it deals with everyday health care workers. I will close out this segment on this point: It's nothing like a health care worker, need it be a CNA, a certified nursing assistant, or an RN, a registered nurse, or a specialist, a doctor who has been in the profession and even primary care doctors; we are going to need a army of these primary care doctors in residency spots to be able to create what we call this medical home, so that people will have somewhere to go with their insurance card. To have them in a profession that they know that's bleeding constantly and that's hooked up and that's in ICU because of the cost of insurance and the cost of coverage and the level of coverage that everyday Americans are receiving--we have public hospitals that are going under and that are finding themselves in budget crisis and even private hospitals where staffing levels have been cut back. And when you come to a State like mine in Florida, I helped pass the legislation as it relates to nursing home staffing levels, making sure that our frail and our most vulnerable have the kind of staffing that they deserve. But when it becomes a challenge on the reimbursement rate to be able to make sure that that staffer is there for that individual that has put their loved one in a nursing home or in a hospital, they should not have to watch. I was in Gainesville just a week ago over the Labor Day holiday, and I talked to a young lady who came up to me at a picnic and said, Congressman, my mother is in the hospital. She didn't know me. But she said, Since you're the congressman, I want to talk to you. My family works a schedule out to go sit with my mother in the hospital because the staffing level is not what it should be. That's what's going on out there. Now, if something were to happen to me right now, Mr. Speaker, and I hope it doesn't, but if something were to happen to me, I don't have to worry about anything. I will get over to Bethesda or somewhere. I don't have to worry about it because I'm covered. I'm a congressman. People are going to put me in a room somewhere, I'll probably have a private room and an open mic, press the button, there will be no waiting for my care. But that's not what this is about. So if we were to replace Members of Congress with people who have health care crises, then maybe we will have a better situation as it relates to bipartisanship to be able to find some common ground on health care. So I challenge our Members here in this Congress, you can talk about the sideshows, you can talk about the small things that are going on-- or they could be important back home--but when you have an issue like health care reform that's before this Congress, it took great courage against the naysayers to create Social Security, which is providing opportunities for individuals that, when they lose everything else, Social Security is there; when someone passes on and they're able to leave their survivor benefits, even if they didn't make the kind of money they would like to have made, they didn't leave the kind of inheritance that they would like to leave to their children, to be able to leave a survivor benefit for a child or a spouse. Or when someone is injured on the job and they fall into disability, that Social Security is there. It's not going to pay for everything, but it's going to pay for something. You've been paying for it out of your check. You mess with Social Security now, you have a problem. I'm so glad, Mr. Speaker, the 109th Congress, when the previous administration wanted to privatize Social Security and we fought it back with not only dialog on the floor, amendments in committee, holding town hall meetings back home, we fought it back. And if Social Security--and if folks had private accounts out there running in the stock market last September, where would Social Security be right now in the trust fund? Members, I want to make sure that everyone understands that it takes courage. Medicare, in the sixties, you know, some naysayers, oh, the government is trying to--no one is trying to take over anything, just want to make sure that the seniors have coverage in their time when they need it at 65, that they can take the option. If they want to use their Medicare or they want to use their private insurance, that this country will not turn their back on them. And now in this legislation we expand the Medicare trust fund and really work towards stomping out not only waste, but corruption, and also bringing it under some sort of control so that we don't find ourselves in a situation like what happened with Medicare part D prescription drugs. Let's pass a great idea; let's not worry about how we're going to pay for it and increase the debt. So I go back to saying, when the President said he would not sign a bill that would raise the deficit more than where it is right now, that was music to my ears because we're here--and I've been on the floor for almost 7 years now talking about these issues. Some of the individuals have been talking about the debt. I'm like, where were you when all of this was happening and you said nothing about it and you did nothing about it? And now we're trying to do something about it in a bipartisan way to make sure that we don't put on to the debt, which I think makes perfect sense. But Medicare, looking at it from where it is right now, it is a public option. And the public option, I must say, Mr. Speaker, the small part of this bill is far more conservative than Medicare: A, you have to fall under a certain income requirement; B, you have to first go into the exchange to get the private insurance. But you also have to be insured and covered. That means individuals that don't have skin in the game now, people that are saying, hey, I'm going to throw the dice, I'm going to go to CVS, I'm going to go to Walgreen's, I'm going to go to whatever store they go to and I'm going to medicate myself, and then I'm going to find myself in a situation to where I've got to go to the doctor because I have this lump in my neck or I have this pain in my side, or I finally went to the doctor after my wife or my significant other pushed me to go only to find out that now I have a situation that I must go in, now they find themselves in the emergency room. And everyone that has insurance can look forward to $1,000, $1,200 either in copays or premiums the following year because that individual was not insured. Now, some people make that choice of saying I just want extra money to spend; most make that choice because they can't afford insurance. I think it's important that we note that Congress had courage to start Medicare; and because of that courage, so many seniors, 65 years old, have a Medicare card in their wallet. It's first up right under a driver's license or right under their debit card to pull out because it's the card that they pull because they have it. And now every town hall meeting that I had--and Mr. Speaker, I had town hall meetings, there were no requirements, you didn't have to come to my office and show that you live in the 17th Congressional District in Florida. You didn't have to go through the magnetometer before you came in; 500 seats, come in, sit. We're going to have a civil discussion, and if you disagree with any position that has been taken, respect the next person and allow that individual to speak. That's American, that's bipartisan, and that's what we will continue to do, Mr. Speaker, because when we pass this insurance reform as it relates to health care, that's not going to be the end. This plan right now, the way it stands, will not be fully implemented until 2013. That's a long time. Some of it will be implemented as it relates to patient rights and insurance rights faster than other components of the bill. But I want to tell the Members and I want to share with the Members, as we go and we talk to our constituents, we should not just fall for the low-hanging fruit of saying, well, if someone is perfectly healthy and says, well, you know, I don't feel we need to do this, I think that it's important as a leader--because sometimes you have to share with people things that they may not see from a broader perspective--to say, yeah, I don't know what they're doing in Washington, they don't need to do--I mean, this Congress is made up of individuals that have been elected--especially here in the House, you have the greatest democracy here in this Chamber because you cannot be appointed to this unless you're appointed to be the Chair while we're trying to find a Speaker or what have you. But as it relates to a general Member of Congress, there is a special election called. If someone was to come to the well and say, I'm resigning, there are no appointments; you have to be elected to this body. So this is democracy at its best, and nine times out of 10 come from the ranks of the legislature or some city council or an individual that just got fired up on an issue and started knocking on doors and found themselves in this Chamber. But so many times in Washington we look at this change agenda, we get stuck on this thing of who we had lunch with last or how leaders get drawn out. I don't think that leaders come to Washington, D.C. to sell out; I think they're drawn out. And what I'm saying about being drawn out is that you find yourself walking around the Halls here in Washington, D.C. and you get enough people, how are you doing, Congressman, Senator, good to see you, you know, great speech, it was good, you know, you start listening to those individuals--even though it's okay to get compliments--versus those individuals that are back home that are fighting this health care crisis. We have to make sure that everyone understands that. And so I tell my constituents, if you agreed with the last word out of my mouth or not, you tell me what you feel and we will have a discussion on it, and we will do the best to try to give you the kind of representation that you deserve. So I think it's important that we bring reality to this debate. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to close by saying that it's important that we continue to get input from the public. It's important that we continue to share with our colleagues the importance of bipartisanship. It's important that we are responsible for what we say and put into the Congressional Record. It's important that we allow this process to move forward so that we can have a working document from both House and Senate that can then go to Congress and that we can vote on this floor in the affirmative for. In every piece of landmark legislation, Mr. Speaker and Members, there will always be sections and components of that legislation that a Member will disagree with. I haven't seen a Member say, you know, everything in that bill, I love it. That's like reading a book and saying, I agree with every chapter; I thought it was a good read. There is always some comment about that eighth chapter could have been a little better or more work could have gone into the twelfth chapter. But I think it is very, very important that everyone understands, in the final analysis, when we look at health care reform, that every Member, every Governor, every mayor, every city council person, every Member of Congress has to be engaged and has to make sure that it is not about their health care; it's about the health care of the people that they represent. So if you have health care, I'm bringing your health care costs down because you will have more of a choice and competition will be there to bring your health care down. If you have health care, the quality of your health care will go up, and you will be able to see your doctor and you will be able to continue to move on. And in the bill we have here under consideration in the House, if you leave your job, you can keep your health care. The ongoing bleeding of Medicare will be repaired and reformed. The ongoing health care crises in so many communities that are weighing down small businesses will be better because of action. And so I think that there are some principles there that those of us that have been elected to lead--I'm not talking about standing on first base looking at second and saying I'm not going to try to steal second. I'm going to stand here and I'm going to let that person, when they hit, they may get a single, but I'm going to stand here to make sure that I can make it to second base. It's not time for that kind of leadership. It's time for you to cheat up to second base and try to take it because you're taking it because you want to win. And we want to make sure that the people in this great country of ours win. We want to make sure that they have health care. We want to make sure that small businesses are able to provide health care for their employees. We want to make sure that health care providers can provide the most professional health care that they can. We want to make sure that we, as leaders here in Congress, that we go see the wizard and go get some courage, and get a heart while we're there, and share with people the things that should be shared with them even if it's the minority view. Discourse is good, action is better. Mr. Speaker, it was, once again, an honor to come before the House, and I look forward to coming back. As we break for this week, hopefully we will come back ready to do business at the top of next week. I feel good about the direction that this debate is going in; the Republican response after the President's address, a lot of things that we agree on. That means that we are heading north on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to say a few words about one of my constituents, Beatrice Rosenberg, born ``Bernice Zam'' on her 90th birthday. Beatrice Rosenberg, born Bernice Zam, in the Bronx, New York, September 12, 1919, has lived through a Great Depression, two World Wars, and the many other events that have marked the last 90 years in America and through it all has continued to laugh and to dance. Her family and friends have said that through all of this, through poverty, through wartime and through widowhood, she has been relied on and has ``been there'' for them. Bernice's father died when she was six months old. Her mother was a factory seamstress paid by the piece to sew lace onto ladies' undergarments. In 1935, when Bernice was 16, she had to quit high school to work in a laundry to support her pregnant mother and out-of- work stepfather. She gave all her earnings to her mother, except for carfare to work and to dance clubs, where she jitterbugged her cares away. In 1943 she married a young pilot just before he shipped off to fight in World War II. (When her license application didn't match her birth certificate, she learned that her birth name actually was Beatrice, not Bernice). Her husband was overseas when she gave birth to their daughter in July 1944, and a few months later he was shot down and reported missing in action in France. A farmer found and sheltered him in a barn until the French Resistance could smuggle him out of danger. For two years after the war she lived on an airbase in Ashiya, Japan, as part of the post-war occupation, but the marriage was strained by the time they returned to the States. She and her daughter moved into a one-bedroom apartment in a 5th floor walk-up in the Bronx already occupied by her own mother and teenage half-sister. In 1949 she brought her daughter with her to Savannah, Georgia, where her husband was stationed on a Strategic Air Command Base, to obtain a divorce. She waitressed in a diner for $25 a week plus tips, on the 3:00 to midnight shift, hiring a teenager for her daughter's after- school care. She met and married another airman, and after two years he shipped out to an operation in the Azores. Unfortunately, he died at the age of 33 after spending years in the service operating refuelers. With an 11-year-old daughter to care for, Bernice could not indulge her grief. Instead, she moved back into that cramped Bronx apartment, and used some Air Force insurance money to take a course in switchboard. She became a receptionist and met Dan Rosenberg. They lived happily for many years, and when he passed on, Mrs. Rosenberg moved in with her daughter and her family while working full time and eventually moved to Florida and sold handbags at Macy's, finally retiring at age 70. Since then she has enjoyed a life of card games, friendships, and family. Although she uses a walker, she still dances every chance she gets. Her family: daughter Sydelle Pittas and her husband Phillipe Koenig; her granddaughter Pilar Alessandra and husband Pat Francis along with their daughters Sara and Rita; granddaughter Chris Pittas; and granddaughter Michele Koenig Augieri and her husband Gary Shafner (who have just given her a great-grandson named Felix), join with many other nieces and nephews in paying tribute to Beatrice Rosenberg on her 90th birthday. At 90, Mrs. Rosenberg still laughs heartily and will, no doubt, dance at her party.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize and extend my congratulations to Bishop Jacob Cohen on his 50th anniversary of pastoral ministry in service to the A.M. Cohen Temple, the Eastern Florida Jurisdiction, and the Church of God in Christ. Bishop Jacob Cohen, the ninth son and twelfth child of Bishop Amaziah Melvin Cohen, founder and pastor of the Miami Temple Church of God in Christ, was educated in the Miami-Dade County Public School System. While a student at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University his educational pursuit was interrupted with his decision to serve in the United States Army, stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He then went on to serve the 82nd Airborne Division. Upon honorable discharge, he enrolled at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in education. Soon after, Bishop Cohen married his wife, Mrs. Josie Jackson, the daughter of the Late Deacon John and Mother Josie Jackson. The two are blessed with four children, four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren. In 1971, Bishop Cohen was appointed as Superintendent of the Miami District and also served as Jurisdictional Bishop of the Eastern Florida Jurisdiction. In 1972, he was elected to serve on the General Board of the Church of God in Christ, the governing board of the international church. He served for 14 years. With a career spanning half a century, Bishop Cohen served on many national, state, and local boards and advisory councils including the NAACP, YMCA, Governor's Committee on the Black Family, and the Boy Scouts. He sponsored the Labor Task Force for the renovations of Saints Industrial Junior College, established the Clergy Bureau for the Church of God in Christ, and wrote the financial plan for the National Church of God in Christ. On March 11, 2006, Bishop Jacob Cohen was presented with an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Saint Thomas Christian College in Jacksonville, Florida. Under the leadership of Bishop Cohen, A.M. Cohen Temple has taken an active and progressive role in directly addressing the temporal and spiritual needs of our neighbors. I want to commend him for his tireless apostolate in ministering to those who were imprisoned, to the hungry and to all those seeking the love and solace of a Church that seeks to affirm and confirm their dignity as God's children. Bishop Cohen's anniversary in the ministry takes on a meaning much greater than the passage of time, for he and the Church have met the spiritual needs of thousands of people who came before them, and through the grace of God will continue to do so for another century to come. It is a magnificent legacy we will celebrate. Madam Speaker and my colleagues, I ask that you join me in honoring Bishop Jacob Cohen, a humble servant of God, a true beacon of hope and a guiding light in the 17th Congressional District of Florida.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize and honor Chief Maurice L. Kemp, the first African-American Fire-Rescue Chief in the city of Miami's history. This outstanding public servant has worked with the City of Miami Fire Department for 24 years and has held the positions of lieutenant, captain, assistant fire chief, and deputy fire chief. Chief Kemp received a bachelor of science degree in biology from Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina and a master's degree in public administration from Nova Southeastern University. As Deputy Fire Chief since 1999, Chief Kemp has overseen the technical, management, support, communication, and emergency management services, as well as developed and managed budget and legislative functions. In 2006, he was appointed the Program Chief and Task Force Leader for the United States Department of Homeland Security, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue. Moreover, Chief Kemp has received accolades throughout his career including the Dr. A. Mancebo Memorial Award and recognition from the 5000 Role Models of South Florida. Since 1735, professional and volunteer firefighters have been an invaluable facet of our communities, towns, and cities. Through the City of Miami's mission to ``serve the citizens of Miami in a professional manner by providing rapid emergency response and other services to save lives and protect property'' and their motto, ``Excellence through Service,'' I commend the tremendous bravery of Miami's firefighters and am proud to honor each one today on the Floor of the House. Ever vigilant, this Nation's firefighters respond quickly to emergencies of all kinds and protect and save lives each and every day. From the earliest days of Benjamin Franklin's Union Fire Company to the famous fire departments of New York City, Chicago, and Boston, every fire station in this country has a proud history and tradition of distinguished service. Today, men such as Chief Kemp along with over one million firefighters answer the call of duty and perform extraordinary acts of selflessness and valor without hesitation. Madam Speaker and my colleagues, I ask that you join me and the public safety community in this remarkable show of solidarity. Chief Kemp is an outstanding American worthy of our collective honor and appreciation. It is with deep respect and admiration that I commend Chief Kemp, and thank the men and women in the fire service field that dedicate to the selfless protection of others stand together in the face of adversity, bonded by sacrifice and a sense of duty.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize and honor Ms. Betty Wright, South Florida's very own recording artist who continues to contribute greatly to the musical landscape of not only Miami-Dade County, but of the Nation through her artistry and musical talent. She has influenced a generation of female singer-songwriters, as well as the world of hip hop. A native Miamian, Ms. Wright was born on December 21, 1953. She began her music career with her family in a gospel group called the Echoes of Joy. In 1965, she began switching to R&B music when she was only 11 years old. She released her first album, My First Time Around, in 1968. Her first hit single was ``Girls Can't Do What Guys Can Do.'' Toward the end of 1971, Ms. Wright's single ``Clean Up Woman'' became a Top 5 Pop and R&B hit, which later influenced artist, Mary J. Blige's ``Real Love'' with the sample of its guitar riffs. The single also influenced R & B group, SWV's single ``I'm So In To You''; Afrika Bambaataa's song, ``Zulu War Chant''; and Sublime's ``Get Out!'' remix. Additionally, R&B artist, Beyonce has sampled ``Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do'' for her hit ``Upgrade U.'' Ms. Wright's other noted singles are ``Tonight is the Night'' (1974) and ``Where Is the Love'' (1975). ``Where Is the Love'' won a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1975. After experiencing a brief slump in the early 1980s, she rebounded and found her own record label, Ms. B Records. In 1988, she made music history by becomming the first woman to have a gold record on her own label with the release of Mother Wit, which featured two of her most famous hits, ``No Pain No Gain'' and the ``After the Pain.'' On both songs, Ms. Wright displays her upper register capabilities and seven-octave range. In 2001, she released a compilation album, The Very Best of Betty Wright. Her first studio album, Fit for a King, was also released the same year. Currently, Ms. Wright continues to record music and mentors several young singers. She has done vocal production for the likes of Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez and Joss Stone. Madam Speaker and my colleagues, I ask that you join me in honoring Ms. Betty Wright, a true beacon of hope and musical talent from the 17th Congressional District of Florida. She is an outstanding American worthy of our collective honor and appreciation. It is with deep respect and admiration that I commend Ms. Wright for sharing her beautiful talents with the rest of us. Through all of her adversity she continued to grace us with her gift of song.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to be before the House once again. As many Members of the House know, we've had an opportunity to go back not only to our districts, but to our States to deal with the issues in our districts and also talk to a number of our constituents. And I wanted to come before the House tonight with some of my colleagues to talk about one of the main issues that were discussed during the break. But as you know, when I come to the floor, I always like to bring to the attention of the House, so that we will never forget, that we do have men and women in harm's way. As of September 8, 1:30 p.m. today, the total American military deaths in Iraq is 4,341, wounded in action returned back to duty is 17,623, and wounded in action and did not return to duty is 3,872. And I think it is very important to not only have that in the Congressional Record, but also for all of us here that are passing not only policy, but also appropriations, make sure that we remember the families and those individuals that continue to serve to allow us to salute under one flag. So as policymakers, we have to pay very close attention. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor tonight because I believe now more than ever, since I've been here for 7 years, that we need leadership not only in this House, but in the Congress in general, and that's including the Senate. And I think when we look at this issue of health care, there has been a lot said by many people, but there are only 535 some odd people in this country, including the President of the United States and members of his Cabinet, that are going to have to implement and provide this leadership on behalf of a country that needs people to man up and woman up and leader up and stop just saying, well, we shouldn't do anything about health care because every man and woman for themselves. Well, you know, that's not the American spirit. And it pushes against logic because when you look at rising health care costs, when you're looking at small business men and women that are having issues of being able to provide health care for themselves, leave alone the employees that they have, at affordable rates, when their employees are able to have health care that they can afford for their families, it's one thing to have health care, it is another thing to be able to afford it. And I brought a couple of personal testimonies from my State that I think it's important for people to pay very close attention to. Now, tomorrow night we know that this Chamber will be filled with policymakers. We will have a number of the President's Cabinet here. And the President will walk down this center aisle just like other Presidents have done in the past. And Americans will definitely tune in, the world will tune in to see if we're willing to be able to do what we must do to be able to keep this country competitive. This is bigger than just ideology or a public plan, or no plan at all, or I'm going to score political points because it's an issue that is a landmark piece of legislation and only leaders can play in that room so I'm going to stand on our side and throw rocks at the building and break as much glass as I can and hopefully, hopefully I may confuse people enough to where when they're confused they will just say no, I don't necessarily think that we need to carry out this health care issue. I want to know who's hiding and who's running around here in the dark saying, oh, let's bring this thing up with health care. Hello. The whole 2008 election was based on health care. Some issues that some Members thought would come up--immigration reform, the war will play more of a substantial role, qualifications of how long you serve will play a major role--no, it was health care. And it was Democrats and Republicans and Independents and first-time voters that were voting for hope and just believing this time that something good will come out of their vote. Now I'm going to tell you something. I'm from Florida. I'm from one of those States that over 3,600 Floridians lose their health care every week, every week. And it's kind of good for me to be here in Washington, D.C., along with my colleagues, all of them. And we all have health care, so there is no urgency on our side. There are no letters that are written by Members of Congress saying, oh, woe is my copayment; oh my goodness, the premiums have gone up, I can't afford it, I've been denied as a Member of Congress of an operation that I desperately need or a family member. That doesn't happen in our world; it doesn't happen in the House, it doesn't happen in the Senate, but it definitely happens in America and it definitely happens to Floridians that show up at town hall meetings. And I had some constituents saying, Kendrick, I would love to come to your town hall meeting, but I'm not into the whole bodily harm thing if I come. And that's something else that we have to pay attention to. So I think it's very, very important. For those of us that came to Congress to make sure that our representation and our presence here is about representing people, people that are counting on us to do the right thing, people that are making sure that they don't find themselves in a situation to where that--well, I'm going to vote for my Member of Congress so he or she can have health care and I'll sit by and be a part of a debate over a public plan or a nonpublic plan. Hello. In the State of Florida you have 20 percent of the individuals that are under the age of 65 that are uninsured. Guess what, ladies and gentlemen. Eighty percent of us that have health care insurance are paying more every year because of the 20 percent. People want to talk about, well, you know, somebody has to do this and this is not guaranteed. Well, you know something? When you show up and you make that phone call, when you find out your child is sick or you find out that your husband now has to get that operation that you weren't able to detect every time you all had breakfast, but finally this kind of ache in his side or what have you has now become a situation that now you have to deal with and now you're spending $3,000 of a copay that you don't have already, we can't prioritize it then and say, oh, I care about health care. So I wanted to come tonight with my colleagues--and I see that they have joined me--because I did talk with my neighboring colleague in Florida, Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz, about the fact that we have to come back to the floor even though we have families, we have leadership positions in the House, we have major pieces of legislation moving through our committees, to come back here in the middle of the night like we did when we beat back the forces who wanted to privatize Social Security. Think about it. Just think about it, Madam Speaker, if we'd listened to those voices when they had wanted to privatize Social Security. Hello again. Not only would the people over the age of 65 have had a lot to worry about, but there would have been a lot of young people who would have taken their money and put it out in this unregulated Wall Street and would have lost even their Social Security benefits. So I'm here to tell you that I look forward to coming back to the floor with my colleagues to talk about this issue of health care. We know the President will come tomorrow and will, in his best effort, try to bring Republicans, Democrats and the two Independents, who serve in the Senate, together to bring about quality health care on behalf of all Americans. When we talk about health care, I am talking about every person who lives in the United States of America. This will affect you. If you are insured, this will affect you, and it will affect you, hopefully, in a positive way because, every time you pay a premium, it's higher. Every time you pay a copay, it's higher. Folks are talking about the public plan issue, and I'll just close with this and then will yield to my colleagues. I had a young lady call my office. I pick up the phone from time to time when it's ringing, and, you know, she was like, Well, Congressman, I just want to tell you that I'm against the public plan. Okay. Well, tell me: What are you against? I want to know. You know, tell me a little bit about it. I wasn't trying to be intimidating by, you know, going into sections and chapters. Tell me. Well, you know, I don't know if I want, you know, the government in the business of health care. Well, that sounds like something that might have been said on the radio and not necessarily something that I felt that I failed her on because I didn't do what I was supposed to do as a Member of Congress and as a member of the Ways and Means Committee in saying that, if there's another plan out there that will achieve bringing the private insurance companies' costs down, knowing that they're charging every last one of us with the monopoly that they have, then we will find ourselves in a better situation. But guess what? No one has a plan that will bring that cost down like a public plan will. As I close, the U.S. Postal Service is a public plan, the last I checked. If the U.S. Postal Service went out of business tomorrow, do you think folks would be complaining? If you think they're complaining about the price of a stamp now, wait until you allow just the private sector to run by itself something that has broad application and that so many people have to deal with. See where that cost goes. Medicare, the last time I checked, was a public plan for those over the age of 65. The public plan that we're talking about now is even far more conservative than that plan because, regardless of what your income may be or what it may not be, you're eligible for it. This public plan will be paid for with just premiums and not with taxpayer dollars. Now, you know, I'm not one of these Members who says, Oh, my goodness. Without a public plan, I don't know if I can vote for this. I'm saying, if there's nothing else there--and I do mean nothing else there--that will bring down the cost of health care for everyday Floridians and Americans, then the public plan is the option to be able to deal with those issues and to be able to make sure that we make health care affordable. Members of Congress, we don't have a problem. We have health care, and we will have health care, and we will not be denied an operation, and we will not wait in long lines. So I want to make sure that every American, regardless of your party affiliation and regardless of the fact if you've ever voted before in your life, pays attention to what I'm saying. It's not about those of us who are here. We're fine. It's about you and it's about your family. Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. We're pushing the ``something'' far.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. You know, Mr. Ryan, it is just so good to see Mr. Murphy and you and Ms. Wasserman Schultz here back on the floor again, and the fact that some of the arguments that you hear, that I don't think we are here for some big, let's-build-the-government-even- more, you know, that the reason why we are here is to make sure that the government gets bigger and more control, that that is what we ran for. No. We are here because we care about the people that sent us here. I said it earlier when I was here on the floor, just me at the top of this hour, when I said, you know something? No one came up to me and said, Congressman, I woke up at 7 a.m. in the morning voting for representation. I am so happy to send you, your wife and your two kids to Washington so you can have health care that I will never have. Okay? The bottom line is I am sitting here, I am going to put these testimonials on my web site that some people have e-mailed to me and some I got from my town hall meeting. I am looking at Robert here from Wellington, Florida. He says as a self-employed person, I am not eligible for any group coverage. Therefore, I must pay $4,000 a year for my family of four, and I have deductibles totaling up to $7,000 out-of-pocket before anything gets covered, in his plan that he has now. In this current economy, my income has been greatly reduced, but I cannot change for a less expensive plan until the open enrollment period comes around, and that is almost a year away. It is nuts. He says, in a nutshell, health care could well bankrupt me, even without a medical catastrophic event taking place, and I am trying to figure out what will the new Congress and the President do for me. That was his e-mail to me as a Congressman. Now, I am not his Congressman, but he is just reaching out to Members of Congress. And the bottom line is there are real people out there that are dealing with it. Mr. Ryan, you make so much sense when you say folks walk through--I know that is kind of hard for you to believe, me saying that--walk through the doors of an emergency room getting care, and you are watching these public hospitals going under. Think about it. They are reducing staff. I was in Daytona the other day at a Labor Day picnic. A lady came up to me and said, Congressman, this is my first time meeting you. I have a mother in a hospital, the public hospital there in Volusia County, and we have to take turns being in the room with her because of the staff cuts that are there. This is all coming from uncompensated health care that is driving up the costs, not only for public hospitals and private hospitals, but also driving up the costs for us who pay premiums and copays and all of those things. So I would say this also to my friends that live in rural communities. I heard you talk about Ohio, and, of course, we can all talk about our States. But I can tell you this: In rural communities right now in this bill we incentivize doctors to stay in those communities. They are communities that are in need and they don't have specialists there. We also look at addressing the disparities as they relate to rural America. Right now we have individuals that have to drive for miles and miles and miles. That is not okay, especially when you are in need of care. So when we look at this whole comprehensive piece, we are looking at something that is going to bring about better coverage for all Americans, make sure that those of us that have insurance, that we bring our costs down, making sure that people who have preexisting or family conditions, God forbid this gentleman from Bradenton, if something was to happen, one of his family members, he discovered his daughter had some sort of illness to where that she has to go operation to operation, and then that insurance that he has, which is not as good as mine, runs out, he is on his own, by himself. And folks can't say well, that is his personal problem. No, that is going to be my problem too and it is going to be the individual's problem who has health care, because he or she is going to pay for the fact that he can't get coverage and he works and provides, he is a business person and he just wants to insure his family. Mr. Ryan, I'm going to say this, and then I'm not going to say anything else during this hour, but we'll yield back when that time comes, 10 minutes after the hour. I will tell you this: that those of us in this Chamber didn't know better, because all while I was listening to people throughout the State of Florida during the break, I couldn't help but--like a lady posed a question to me in a townhall meeting: Congressman, what are you going to do to bring about the kind of change we need in Washington, D.C.? Are you going to be on the fence? Are you going to say, Well, you know, I don't want to necessarily say anything, don't want to do anything? I'm going to run in the back of the Chamber, put my card in and run out the door. Or am I going to come here and fight for those individuals who sent me here to fight for them. And those are businesspeople, and those are individuals, and those are people who are listening to us right now that have a health care crisis or have an imminent health care crisis coming and wondering if they're going to have insurance. I would much rather go down fighting for them than sitting here trying to be safe and trying to score political points and win a couple more seats in Congress because it will help my political ideology. We're beyond that right now. We are dealing with the real deals that are crippling our multinational companies that are here, based here in the United States, to compete with other countries who have health care reform and have a policy to where that doesn't bankrupt big and small companies. So I'm just asking my colleagues, be they either Democrat or Republican, be a man, be a woman, be a leader, come here to Washington, D.C., and speak fact and not fiction and make sure that we fight, because we're as close as we have ever been to doing this right now, Debbie, and I think it's important that if we're going to go down, we're going to go down fighting. And I tell you if I have anything to do with it, we're not going down. That's one. Two, people are going to get health care. And in the final analysis, they're going to look at the leaders, either Democrat or Republican, and say, You know something? I'm glad they fought. They did not retreat.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. We have 30 seconds left.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Absolutely. Madam Speaker, with that, from these Members that came before the House tonight, we want to definitely let other Members know that we will be coming to the floor. We will be sharing accurate information as we have done over the years, and we will continue to do it good or bad. We look forward to the President coming and addressing us tomorrow in a joint session. With that, we yield back the balance of our time. Thank you.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the service and contributions of Colonel Paul Grosskruger of the United States Army Corps of Engineers--Jacksonville District as he passes Command to Colonel Pantano and prepares to retire from military service. He has had a long and admirable career, worthy of distinction and worthy of our gratitude. Colonel Grosskruger assumed command of the Jacksonville District on July 25, 2006 and it has been my distinct pleasure to work closely with him for these past several years. Most notably, I have worked with Colonel Grosskruger on the Merrill-Stevens Expansion Project and was also fortunate to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they completed the restoration of Virginia Key Beach. Each time, Colonel Grosskruger impressed us with his clarity, candor and fairness. Colonel Al Pantano has large new responsibilities to fill, but from reading his resume and noting his experiences, I am confident that he will be more than up to the task. Below is a brief biographical sketch of Colonel Grosskruger's long and distinguished career. We have come to expect nothing less than great things of this career officer and we look forward to hearing from Colonel Grosskruger again, though as a private citizen. I know that many members of Florida's delegation join me in wishing him the best as he enters this new stage of life and we have every confidence that Colonel Pantano will continue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-- Jacksonville District's fine tradition. Born and raised in eastern Iowa, Colonel Grosskruger was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1983. Colonel Grosskruger is a graduate of the U.S. Army Engineer Basic and Advance Courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering mechanics from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University. He is a registered professional engineer in the both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Florida. His assignments include platoon leader, battalion S2 officer and company executive officer in the 317th Engineer Battalion, Eschborn, Germany; company commander and battalion S4 officer in the 82d Engineer Battalion, Bamberg, Germany; company commander of the 535th Engineer Company (Combat Support Equipment), Grafenwoehr, Germany; project officer and deputy resident engineer in the Omaha Engineer District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Colorado Springs, Colorado; battalion executive officer, 317th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia; group operations officer, 36th Engineer Group, Fort Benning, Georgia; Instructor, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Chief of Engineer Operations and Assistant Corps Engineer, V Corps, Heidelberg, Germany; Commander of the 94th Engineer Combat Battalion, Vilseck, Germany, where he planned and conducted operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His prior assignment was as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Colonel Grosskruger's awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (seventh award); the Army Commendation Medal (three awards and the ``V'' device); the Joint Commendation Medal; the Army Achievement Medal (fifth award); the NATO Medal; the Joint Meritorious Unit award; and the Humanitarian Service Medal. He has earned medals from Nicaragua and Poland. He has the U.S. and German parachutist badge and the air assault badge. His battalion earned the Presidential Unit Citation for service with the 3d Infantry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I.would be remiss if I did not also take this opportunity to thank Colonel Grosskruger's wife and family for their support and dedication. It is a well known fact that the hardest job in the military is that of the military spouse; our service men and women would not be able to do what our country asks of them without the backbone of a loving family. Claudia Grosskruger is to be commended as much as Colonel Grosskruger for their work in service to this country and for their efforts in raising Jerry, 20 and Jennifer, 18.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the service and contributions of Colonel Paul Grosskruger of the United States Army Corps of Engineers--Jacksonville District as he passes Command to Colonel Pantano and prepares to retire from military service. He has had a long and admirable career, worthy of distinction and worthy of our gratitude. Colonel Grosskruger assumed command of the Jacksonville District on July 25, 2006 and it has been my distinct pleasure to work closely with him for these past several years. Most notably, I have worked with Colonel Grosskruger on the Merrill-Stevens Expansion Project and was also fortunate to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they completed the restoration of Virginia Key Beach. Each time, Colonel Grosskruger impressed us with his clarity, candor and fairness. Colonel Andrew Pantano has large new responsibilities to fill, but from reading his resume and noting his experiences, I am confident that he will be more than up to the task. Below is a brief biographical sketch of Colonel Grosskruger's long and distinguished career. We have come to expect nothing less than great things of this career officer and we look forward to hearing from Colonel Grosskruger again, though as a private citizen. I know that many members of Florida's delegation join me in wishing him the best as he enters this new stage of life and we have every confidence that Colonel Pantano will continue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-- Jacksonville District's fine tradition. Born and raised in eastern Iowa, Colonel Grosskruger was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1983. Colonel Grosskruger is a graduate of the U.S. Army Engineer Basic and Advance Courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering mechanics from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University. He is a registered professional engineer in both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Florida. His assignments include platoon leader, battalion S2 officer and company executive officer in the 317th Engineer Battalion, Eschborn, Germany; company commander and battalion S4 officer in the 82d Engineer Battalion, Bamberg, Germany; company commander of the 535th Engineer Company (Combat Support Equipment), Grafenwoehr, Germany; project officer and deputy resident engineer in the Omaha Engineer District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Colorado Springs, Colorado; battalion executive officer, 317th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia; group operations officer, 36th Engineer Group, Fort Benning, Georgia; Instructor, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Chief of Engineer Operations and Assistant Corps Engineer, V Corps, Heidelberg, Germany; Commander of the 94th Engineer Combat Battalion, Vilseck, Germany, where he planned and conducted operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His prior assignment was as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Colonel Grosskruger's awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (seventh award); the Army Commendation Medal (three awards and the ``V'' device); the Joint Commendation Medal; the Army Achievement Medal (fifth award); the NATO Medal; the Joint Meritorious Unit award; and the Humanitarian Service Medal. He has earned medals from Nicaragua and Poland. He has the U.S. and German parachutist badge and the air assault badge. His battalion earned the Presidential Unit Citation for service with the 3d Infantry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I would be remiss if I did not also take this opportunity to thank Colonel Grosskruger's wife and family for their support and dedication. It is a well known fact that the hardest job in the military is that of the military spouse; our service men and women would not be able to do what our country asks of them without the backbone of a loving family. Claudia Grosskruger is to be commended as much as Colonel Grosskruger for their work in service to this country and for their efforts in raising Jerry, 20 and Jennifer, 18.