Bob Ney

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, I hereby offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Rama Mae Groves Steen; and Whereas, Rama Mae Groves Steen was a loving sister, daughter, aunt, and wife to the members of her family. Rama Mae was a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International of Guernsey and Noble County, a National Teachers Honorary, life member of the Ohio retired Teachers Association, Caldwell Woman's Literary Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, Rosa Shrine 8 of Zanesville; and Whereas, Rama Mae Groves Steen served in the past as chairman of the Central and Executive Committees of Noble County Republican Party, Noble County Republican Woman's Club; and Whereas, Rama Mae Groves Steen will certainly be remembered by all those who knew her because of her loving nature towards her family, friends, and community; and Whereas, the understanding and caring to which she gave to others will stand as a monument to a truly fine person. Her life and love gave joy to all who knew her; and Therefore, while I understand how words cannot express our grief at this most trying of times, I offer this token of profound sympathy to the family and friends of Rama Mae Groves Steen.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Lance Clifford was born on May 18, 1919; and Whereas, Lance Clifford is celebrating his 85th Birthday; and Whereas, Lance Clifford, an American World War II veteran who served in the China-Burma theater of war, is to be commended for his great service to our Nation; and Whereas, Lance Clifford is loved and appreciated by all his family members; and Therefore, I join with the family of Lance and the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in wishing Lance Clifford a very happy 85th birthday.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, John and Carolyn O'Rourke are celebrating the arrival of their son, John Thomas O'Rourke Jr.; and Whereas, John Thomas O'Rourke, Jr. was born in the second day of April, 2004 and weighed seven pounds and twelve and a half ounces; and Whereas, John and Carolyn O'Rourke are proud to welcome their new son into their home; and Whereas, John Thomas O'Rourke, Jr. will be a blessed addition to his family, bringing love, joy, and happiness for many years to come; Therefore, I join with members of Congress and Congressional Staff in celebrating with John and Carolyn O'Rourke and wishing John Thomas O'Rourke, Jr. a very Happy Birthday.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas I hereby offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Richard W. Sandy of New Philadelphia; and Whereas, Richard W. Sandy was a caring and loving individual. Sandy was active in his church, the Special Olympics program as a state champion bowler and as a client of Starlight Enterprises, Inc.; and Whereas, Richard W. Sandy will certainly be remembered by all those who knew him; and Whereas, Richard W. Sandy touched many lives and his memory will stand as a monument to a truly fine person; and Therefore, while I understand how words cannot express our grief at this most trying of times, I offer this token of profound sympathy to the family and friends of Richard W. Sandy.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Doctor William F. Emlich has served continuously as the Medical Director for the Central Ohio Joint Fire District and its predecessor Hilliard Township/Centerburg Volunteer Fire Department since July 1959; and Whereas, Doctor Emlich provided his services as Medical Director continuously since 1959; and Whereas, Doctor Emlich's service to the people of the Centerburg and the surrounding area displays his dedication to helping those in need. He should be commended for the help that he provided to the people of Centerburg and the surrounding area. Therefore, I join with the Ohio's entire 18th Congressional District in celebration Doctor William F. Emlich's forty-five years of service to the Central Ohio Joint Fire District.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Chester L. Collins of Chillicothe, Ohio honorably served his country in the United States Navy during World War II; and Whereas, Chester L. Collins has earned the Philippine Liberation Medal for the exceptional service he provided his country, his fellow service members, and the Philippine islands; and Whereas, Chester L. Collins' bravery and courage are exemplified in the Philippine Liberation Medal and the many other military decorations presented him; Therefore, I join with the residents of Ross County, members of VFW Post 108, and the entire 18th District of Ohio in commending Chester L. Collins upon receiving the Philippine Liberation Medal.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Agency is celebrating 40 years of excellence in service to the tri-county region; and Whereas, the Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Agency operates and administers over 60 programs in the areas of child development, housing and community development, food and nutrition services, and employment services; and Whereas, the Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Agency has distributed over $45 million in federal employment and training funds, been named the ``Large Employer of the Year'' by the Ohio Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and operates such programs as the Regional Food Center that serves over 5000 meals daily; and Whereas, the Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Agency has an established reputation as an organization that is dedicated to the betterment of the community by assisting individuals with programs, services, and resources; Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District in celebrating Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Agency's 40 years of outstanding service.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, R.C. Dela Cruz has completed his education at St. Clairsville High School in the class of 2004; and Whereas, R.C. Dela Cruz was a National Honor Society member and a National Honor Roll Member. His hard work and dedication earned him the St. Clairsville Chamber of Commerce 4.0 Award, the Ohio Valley Athletic Academic Award, and recognition in the National Society of High School Scholars; and Whereas, R.C. Dela Cruz was a member of the baseball, football, and swim teams. As the co-captain of the football team R.C. earned the Most Valuable Player award, the East Ohio District Football Special Mention, and the Times Leader Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention for both his offensive and defensive positions; and Whereas, R.C. Dela Cruz is to be commended for the dedication and excellence he displayed while attending St. Clairsville High School; and Whereas, R.C. Dela Cruz has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm and confidence; Therefore, I join with the family and friends of R.C., and the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating R.C. Dela Cruz, graduate of St. Clairsville High School class of 2004, for his outstanding performance in school. We wish you the best of luck in all your pursuits.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Frank A. Partlow, Jr. has shown outstanding service and contributions to the United States Government Printing Office (GPO) during his tenure beginning November 29, 2002; and Whereas, because of his distinguished career, Frank was asked to serve as the Chief of Staff to the Public Printer of the United States, Bruce R. James; and Whereas, Frank is a solid leader and demonstrated the ability to effectively juggle many competing priorities. In addition to advising the Public Printer on all aspects of the GPO's business, he also directed strategic planning for the GPO. Whereas, until his retirement from the United States as an Army Brigadier General in 1990, Frank served as the Director of Estimates of the Defense Intelligence Agency, U.S. Arms Control Delegation in Geneva and saw combat with an infantry division in Vietnam. He is a graduate from the U.S. Military Academy; and Whereas, Frank is a team player, known for his integrity, fairness, principles, dedication, and solid steady demeanor--he has made GPO a better place. He has served the GPO and our country as a true patriot, and we extend our thanks to him for his service, and wish him all the best for continued success in his retirement; and Therefore, I join with members of Congress and their staff in recognizing Frank A. Partlow, Jr. for his exceptional work and immense contributions, and in wishing him well in all his endeavors.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, on May 17, 2003, I was unable to be present for rollcall votes 177 on H. Con. Res. 420, recognizing National Transportation Week, 178 on H. Con. Res. 423, authorizing Capitol Grounds for the dedication of World War II Memorial, and 179 on H. Con Res. 403 condemning the Sudan for civilian attacks in the Darfur region, due to transportation problems in getting to Washington, DC. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on all three resolutions.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of her retirement in May 2004, we rise to thank Ms. Janet Conrad for 30 years of outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives. Janet began her career at the House working as a Junior Communications Terminal Operator and for the past 30 years has served this great institution as a valuable employee at House Information Resources (HIR) within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). While at HIR, Janet held many positions of increasing responsibility, requiring her to learn new and evolving computer technologies. Initially, Janet worked in the Bill Status Office providing the status of bills in the legislative process to both the American public and the House community. In the early 1980s, when the House began using personal computers, Janet began working in the User Assistance Office. There she continuously expanded her technical expertise to help House staff in their use of personal computers and a wide range of desktop software. Over time she began supporting increasingly complex hardware and software technology projects to include evaluating software, configuration of network servers, and development of applications and databases for Member, Committee, and House Support Offices. Since 2000, Janet has been an invaluable member of HIR's Information Management directorate where she had primary responsibility for the Customer Tracking System (CTS). CTS is used by the CAO to collect, record and report customer service delivery information. Janet has been very customer oriented, displayed great passion for her work and has maintained excellent relationships with her customers. On behalf of the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Janet for her many years of dedication and outstanding contributions to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish Janet many wonderful years in fulfilling her retirement dreams.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas mortgage brokers originate two out of three residential home loans in the United States; Whereas mortgage brokers have played a key role over the last 30 years in helping to raise the nation's homeownership rate to an historically high level of over 68 percent; Whereas mortgage brokers are an integral component of the national housing market that has played a critical role in bolstering the American economy; Whereas mortgage brokers are typically family-owned, small businesses employing 360,000 Americans at 44,000 firms with deep roots in their local communities; Whereas mortgage brokers work every day to provide home financing options and resources to Americans in under-served low-to-moderate income and minority communities; Whereas mortgage brokers help millions of Americans realize the dream of homeownership each year; Therefore, I join with my colleagues in urging that June 7, 2004 be designated ``National Mortgage Broker Day'', as a tribute to the mortgage broker industry, which for more than 30 years has provided new homeownership and financing opportunities for millions of American families enabling them to build equity that can be passed on to future generations.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Michael Zvolensky has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Michael Zvolensky has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Michael Zvolensky has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Michael Zvolensky must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with Troop 358 and the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Michael Zvolensky as he receives the Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Adam Elliott has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Adam Elliott has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Adam Elliott has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Adam Elliott must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with Troop 548 and the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Adam Elliott as he receives the Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I hereby offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Daniel Boorstin upon the death of this outstanding human being. Daniel Boorstin was born October 1, 1914. Along with his numerous roles as husband, teacher, innovator, and leader, Dr. Boorstin served as the Librarian of Congress from 1975 to 1987. Dr. Boorstin will certainly be remembered by those who knew him as a brilliant scholar, accomplished historian, and devotee of the written word. Dr. Boorstin founded the Library's Center for the Book which promotes reading and literacy both nationally and internationally. Dr. Boorstin's devotion to both family and his work embody the excellence displayed throughout his life. His life and love gave joy to all who knew him. While I understand how words cannot express our grief at this time, I offer this token of profound sympathy to the family and friends of Dr. Daniel Boorstin.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 27, the Small Public Housing Authority Act. This legislation addresses the regulatory burdens placed on smaller Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to comply with annual planning requirements enacted into law under the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998. I am confident that passage of this bill would correct an adverse unintended consequence for smaller PHAs. This legislation passed the House Financial Services Committee, by a unanimous bipartisan voice vote on March 17, 2004. The authors of the 1998 Act envisioned a planning process for PHAs that could be used as a tool for advancing management, budgeting, forecasting and tenant needs, among other things. The 1998 Act required a 5-year plan as well as annual planning updates. In the best of all worlds, Congress intended for this tool to be complimentary of the great things that PHAs were currently undertaking to meet the new challenges of housing low-income families and individuals. What Congress did not intend, however, was a complicated planning system that would require many PHAs to hire expensive consultants and detract resources from other management issues. Advocates of the 5-year and annual planning process argue that this management tool would require PHAs to engage tenants and actually provide de facto business plans that would assist in meeting future challenges before a crisis occurs. Opponents claim that both planning requirements have been a paper exercise taking away employee and funding resources that could be applied to other management needs. We have yet to get a complete picture of whether the planning process is a useful exercise. I think that it is something that the Committee should continue to review. We are clear, however, that the smaller PHAs, of which we define in this legislation as those authorities with no more than 100 units or section 8 vouchers, have had difficulty complying with the annual requirements. This legislation would provide much needed regulatory relief for these smaller organizations where the development of the annual plans usually falls on a staff composed of very few individuals. Mindful that the planning process has been used as an effective tool for tenant groups to provide input to PHA management, we have provided language to preserve the tenant's rights. This, we believe, is a healthy balance between the needs and resources of the PHA management teams as well as the needs of the tenants and their respective organizations. On a final note, let me just say that it has been my pleasure to work with the sponsor of this legislation--the Gentleman from Nebraska--over the almost 10 years I have served in Congress and on the Committee on Financial Services and its predecessor--The Committee on Banking and Financial Service. Mr. Bereuter has been an expert on a variety of issues, not limited to rural housing where he developed numerous programs such as the single family loan guarantee program as well as the multifamily loan guarantee program. In addition, he has been instrumental on reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program and providing much needed reform to address repetitive loss issues. I am hopeful that the flood insurance bill will be signed into law before Mr. Bereuter retires. On issues such as the legislation today, Mr. Bereuter has ensured that rural and small-town America would be heard and their perspectives recognized. Mr. Bereuter will retire at the end of this summer and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in wishing him well and thanking him for his service. Finally, I want to thank the Committee Chairman, Mr. Mike Oxley, as well as the Ranking Chairman, Mr. Barney Frank, for moving this bill through the Committee. Moreover, I want to thank the Housing Subcommittee's Ranking Member, Ms. Maxine Waters, for all her hard work on this and many issues facing this Subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 27.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2844, the Continuity in Representation Act of 2003. This important legislation furthers the important objective of ensuring that the House of Representatives, the people's House, continues to function effectively during times of national emergency. Mr. Chairman, it has now been over 2 years since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, a day in which terrorist enemies of the United States murdered thousands of innocent American citizens in cold blood and struck devastating blows against symbols of our country's economic and military power. These lethal attacks served as a very painful reminder of the destructive intent of our terrorist enemies, as well as the increasingly sophisticated and devastating methods by which they carry out their deadly work. Since that grim day, we have been forced to contemplate the dreadful possibility of a terrorist attack aimed at the heart of our Nation's government here in Washington, D.C., possibly carried out with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons of mass destruction. Such an attack could potentially annihilate substantial portions of our Federal Government and kill or maim hundreds of Members of Congress. This is not a comfortable scenario for any of us to confront, as it forces us to contemplate the possibility of our own demise at the hands of our terrorist enemies. Nevertheless, if such an attack were ever to occur, the presence of strong national leadership would be more important than ever. The American people would be desperately seeking reassurance that their government remained intact and capable of acting vigorously in the Nation's defense. In the aftermath of a catastrophic attack, it would be imperative that a functioning Congress be in place with the ability to operate with legitimacy as soon as possible. How best to ensure the continuity of the House of Representatives in the wake of a terrorist attack is a complex and difficult question that defies a simple solution. When drafting the Federal Constitution, our Founding Fathers designed the House to be the branch of government closest to the people. They believed the only way this objective could be accomplished was through frequent elections. Consequently, the Constitution, Article I, Section 2, Clause 4, provides that vacancies in the House may be filled only through special elections. As a result, no Member has ever served in this House who was not first elected by the people he or she represents. Last September, the Committee on House Administration, which I chair, along with our ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), and Members from both sides of the aisle, conducted a hearing on H.R. 2844 to allow leading thinkers on the issue of congressional continuity to provide insight on the many different aspects of this important issue. That hearing revealed that the debate on this subject essentially divides into two camps: Those who view a quick reconstitution of the House as the most important consideration, and, thus, support a constitutional amendment allowing for the appointment of temporary replacements to fill vacant House seats; or, the second camp, those who believe retaining the House's elected character is paramount and, therefore, support expedited special elections as the exclusive means for reconstituting the House of Representatives. The second camp I described is what this bill of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) does. Though the two sides in this debate disagree on many fundamental issues, both agree that expedited elections should be part of the solution to this complex and difficult question. For this reason the Committee on House Administration marked up and passed out of committee H.R. 2844, which establishes a framework for conducting expedited special elections to fill House vacancies resulting from a catastrophic terrorist attack. The goal of this legislation is to ensure the continuing operation of the House during times of national crisis, while at the same time protecting the character of the House as truly an elected body. The Continuity in Representation Act requires that expedited special elections be held within 45 days of the Speaker of the House announcing that more than 100 vacancies exist in the House. The political parties authorized by State law to make nominations would then have up to 10 days after the Speaker's announcement to nominate a candidate. However, a State would have to hold an expedited special election if a regularly scheduled general election were to be held within 75 days after the Speaker's announcement, thus basically providing a 30-day extension for such States. We are under no illusion that holding expedited special elections would be challenge-free for the States. We know that. When we have regular course of order, it is a challenge, as we all know. Even under the best circumstances, conducting an election presents many logistical hurdles. Nevertheless, a number of States already require House vacancies to be filled via the special election within 45 days or less. In addition, the majority opinion of the Nation's chief election officials, one of whom testified, appears to be that 45 days would provide sufficient time to plan and prepare for an expedited special election. Again, they did not say it would be easy, but they thought it would provide enough time. Therefore, I believe H.R. 2844 strikes the proper balance between the demand to fill House vacancies through special elections in as short a time frame as possible and the need for election officials and the voting public to have the time necessary to get ready for the elections to make informed choices. In conclusion, as Members of Congress we owe a duty to the people whom we represent to contemplate and devise response to worst case scenarios, which we all hope never happens; but we have to again be ready and be able to respond to those scenarios to ensure that no terrorist attack will ever cripple the ability of the people's House to function effectively. I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) for bringing this bill through the process. I also want to thank our ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson). I thought we had a very good look at the different issues in the Committee on House Administration and a very healthy debate on those issues. And I urge the support of the bill. Mr. Chairman, also I want to thank our whip, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), for his work on this issue also. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence). (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, how much time remains?

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul). (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner).

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2844.