Anne Northup

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the Kentucky Council on Economic Education and, J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc., a Louisville-based brokerage firm, for their efforts to improve the quality of financial and economic education for elementary, middle, and high school students in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Thanks to their dedicated efforts, Kentucky led all other States in increased participation in an important educational program, the Stock Market Game, in 2005. To help students learn fundamental economic and financial concepts and principles, the Kentucky Council on Economic Education encourages schools throughout the Commonwealth to participate in the Stock Market Game. Created in the 1970s and administered by the Foundation for Investor Education, the Stock Market Game is a 15-week curricular tool that puts students in fourth through 12th grades in the role of investors. Students are given a hypothetical $100,000 to invest in a simulated online market and must make decisions on how and where to invest their capital. The simulated market experience that students receive via the Stock Market Game introduces them to financial markets and important economic concepts, including the sources and uses of capital and the impact inflation and recessions can have on investments. In addition to this knowledge, students learn valuable life skills, such as personal budgeting, critical thinking, and the importance of saving and investing. Hilliard Lyons underwrites participation with a $50,000 annual gift. As a result, participation in the Stock Market Game in Kentucky rose 46 percent in 2005, the largest of any State. In all, more than 9,000 students in 220 schools in Kentucky participated in the game. At one school, Campbell County Middle School near Cincinnati, 650 students participated at once. Math teacher Faye Smith deserves congratulations for that effort. I would like to express my gratitude to the Kentucky Council on Economic Education and Hilliard Lyons for advancing economic education. Exposing youth to the concepts and practices that undergird our economy will aid them personally and professionally. Knowing how the economy works is important to the success of our nation. I commend the Kentucky Council on Economic Education and Hilliard Lyons for their interest in and dedication to economic education, which is vital to the continued prosperity and well-being of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and our Nation.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Chairman, I speak against this amendment. You know, I think all of us want the same thing. We want to make sure that affordable housing is available to as many American families as possible. In 1999 we changed the rules, and we made every community live by a certain number of units, not how far they could stretch those dollars. And our costs exploded. In fact, in the HUD budget the section 8 voucher program went from 33 percent of the HUD budget to over 50 percent of the HUD budget. Now, if you believe that the Federal Government has unlimited dollars, that wouldn't worry you. But if you believe that we live in a time where we have to measure every dollar and spend it carefully, you begin to ask what we could do better. Let me reiterate. It went from 33 percent of the HUD budget to 51 percent, but it didn't include one additional voucher. Not one additional American family was able to have a voucher based on those increases in costs. And let me say that the dollars were significant, too. We increased the dollars by over 50 percent in the section 8 program, and still not one additional American family was able to be served by a section 8 voucher. The changes that we are making today are going to allow every community to take the dollars that they have and to use them more effectively and more efficiently so that we can begin to use the section 8 which are already an enormous part of our budget to serve more American families in the future. The idea is to help Americans get into the units that their family wants to get into, maybe near where they work, maybe near where their family is that can help them watch their children, maybe into a private housing unit where the budget just makes up the difference in the voucher, so that they can live where they want and become independent American families based on the section 8, and not just the 9,000 families that we have in Louisville, Kentucky today but hopefully many more in the future due to these reforms.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the career and service of the Reverend Bob Russell, who is retiring this month after forty years of ministry at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Throughout his time at Southeast, Rev. Russell has worked diligently to follow his faith in God wherever it might lead him. His contribution to the Louisville community is unparalleled and his impact on individual lives is immeasurable. As a young man in Pennsylvania, Rev. Russell dreamed of coaching high school basketball. However, life would hold a different plan for him. During his senior year of high school, he felt a call into ministry. He enrolled in a seminary, graduating from Cincinnati Bible Seminary in 1965. On June 12, 1966, Rev. Russell delivered his first sermon as pastor of a nascent Southeast Christian Church. Only four years prior, Southeast was founded with seventy-seven charter members. At the time of Rev. Russell's arrival, the church had reached a membership of 120. Within two years of his first sermon, the church had more than doubled to nearly 300 members. On Easter Sunday 1976, the church hosted 1,000 worshippers for the first time. Fourteen years later in 1990, 10,000 people worshipped at Southeast on Easter Sunday. And the church set its current record of 29,424 on Easter weekend 2004 over the course of five services. Rev. Russell's career is not, measured solely by explosive church growth, but by the many ways the church under his leadership has expanded to meet the needs of our community. The church reaches its community through ministries in counseling, disaster relief, and prison support, among others. The Southeast Outlook newspaper began publication in 1995. Rev. Russell can also be heard nationally on his syndicated radio program, The Living Word. Throughout his career of four decades in ministry, Rev. Bob Russell has strived to follow his faith in God and live a life of service to the Louisville community. We as a city have been blessed to have Rev. Russell among us for so many years. His loyalty to God, his family, his church, and our city has not gone unnoticed. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my gratitude for Rev. Russell and congratulate him on a lifetime in ministry and service that will continue to touch Louisville even after his retirement.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 578 concerning the Government of Romania's ban on intercountry adoptions and the welfare of orphaned or abandoned children in Romania and throughout the world. I would like to thank the Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), Representative Chris Smith, for continuing to raise this issue of adoption as part of the Commission's human rights portfolio. As the case in Romania has shown us, the barriers to adoption for children and families continue to be great. These barriers are cultural, political and often have deep roots in a community. While some of these barriers will continue to be difficult to cross, I believe others can be overcome succinctly as part of a continuing dialogue on child welfare between the United States and the European Union (EU) and nations such as Romania. In this particular case, I am saddened that one Member of the European Parliament can hold so much sway over a country on important child welfare issues and successfully play on the fears of a nation that is trying to become a participant in the enormous social and economic opportunities offered by the EU. For signatories of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, including the United States, Romania and current Members of the EU, there is supposed to be a formal international and intergovernmental recognition of intercountry adoption. Intercountry adoption, as defined and treated by the Convention, is a means of offering the advantage of a permanent family to a child for whom a suitable family has not been found in the child's country of origin. However, Romania turned from its obligations under the treaty when they enacted a law in 2004 effectively banning intercountry adoption and limiting any domestic adoption. Of course, it is in Romania's authority to enact such laws. But as Members of the United States Congress, acting in the best interests of our own children and as a Nation committed to fighting for all human dignity, we shall continue to advocate for the placement of children in permanent homes. Furthermore, as long as there are thousands of families in the U.S. wishing to adopt and to give a child a loving home that would otherwise not have one, I will continue to take every opportunity to explain to our counterparts abroad why this is such an important cause--for our children and for the health of our nations. There is simply no greater gift than a home and no greater support network than a family. Meanwhile, there are currently 37,000 children in orphanages in Romania and an estimated 49,000 living in temporary arrangements, such as foster care. These numbers are staggering. This is an entire generation of young people who will not have the support of a parent to excel in school, the comfort of a family when sick or in need, and more fundamentally, the love and care essential to the development of a child. It is not just Americans that advocate for lowering barriers to adoption. Citizens of several European countries and Israel had a number of pipeline adoption cases that were pending when the moratorium was instilled in 2001. The U.S. is also a sender country of American orphans, something that people often forget. Last December, the European Parliament voted unanimously on an amendment to their Report on the Extent of Romania 's Readiness for Accession to the European Union in favor of the completion of all the pending international adoption cases in Romania. Additionally, according to UNICEF: For children who cannot be raised by their own families, an appropriate alternative family environment should be sought in preference to institutional care which should be used only as a last resort and as a temporary measure, until the child can return to the family environment. I am disheartened by the actions so far of Romania in failing to complete the pipeline adoption cases which would have resulted in placing over 1,000 orphans with permanent, loving homes abroad. I hope that as we face more of these challenges and political barriers down the road which directly impact children, we will work together to get past those barriers which are artificial. Mr. Speaker, I will conclude by respectfully requesting that this body continue to engage in a dialogue with our allies and colleagues abroad on the importance of adoption, both domestic and international, as a preferable alternative to institutional care. Thank you.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me just say that I think that these two women served as wonderful examples of humble and effective service in this country and around the world, and naming these two buildings at CDC is something that I think all Americans would join us in believing would be an appropriate name for those buildings. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to echo the words of the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and to have an opportunity to offer H.R. 4500 which names two recently completed Centers for Disease Control buildings after two heroic and renowned women in our Nation's and in fact our world's history: Mrs. Rosa Parks of Tuskegee, Alabama; and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In their own ways, each of these women helped to make our country and our world more just and caring. I am sure everyone in this House is aware that Rosa Parks passed away this October, and we have since had a real chance to celebrate her life and her contribution to this Nation. Her courage and her will to do what was right will continue to be an example to all Americans and to the people of other nations who are dedicated to the cause of justice and equality. Mrs. Parks was a seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama, when, in December, 1955, she refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. The bus driver had her arrested for being in violation of the law, granting preferential seating to white passengers. Her subsequent trial and conviction for this act of civil disobedience sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, one of the largest and most successful mass movements against racial segregation in history. It launched Martin Luther King, Jr., as one of the organizers of the boycott, and he came to the forefront of the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks ignited a civil rights struggle and made possible the eventual overturn of the Jim Crow laws. Over the next four decades, she reminded her fellow Americans of our ideals and our commitment to justice and equal treatment under the law. She was a recipient of innumerable awards, including the Martin Luther King, Jr., Nonviolent Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Our country will always be indebted to her for the moral courage she showed to call on our country to live up to our ideals and promises. Senator Barack Obama said it best upon the President's signing of legislation placing a statue of Rosa Parks in Statuary Hall, ``Rosa Parks held no public office, but when the history of this country is written, her name and her legacy will be remembered long after the names of Senators and Presidents have been forgotten. So it is fitting that her legacy, her hopes, and her struggles be immortalized alongside the statues of men and women whose hearts she helped change.'' Mr. Speaker, this bill also pays homage to the life and work of Mother Teresa by naming the Global Communications Center building at the Centers for Disease Control after her. Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia in 1910, and at an early age, she felt the calling to serve God and her fellow man and joined the Sisters of Loreto that had missions in India. While teaching high school in India, Mother Teresa witnessed the poverty outside of her convent and asked permission to devote her life and her ministries to serving the poor and the sick, bringing them medical care, education and food. Her remarkable work helped bring comfort to people around the world that society had forgotten or neglected. The Missionaries of Charity, which she founded, carries on her work, operating schools, orphanages and houses for the poor in over 130 countries. Mother Teresa's saintly good works received acclaim and recognition throughout the world. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and later President Reagan awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985. In 1996, shortly before she died, Congress made her an honorary citizen of the United States, one of the highest honors our country can bestow on foreign nationals. I think it is particularly fitting that her name adorn CDC's Global Communications Center which will allow it to share in the legacy and mission of Mother Teresa's work by serving the world's poor and sick. Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to pay tribute to these two profoundly good women who sacrificed so much so we can all live in a freer and more compassionate world. I urge every Member to support H.R. 4500. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I was unable to be present for the vote on final passage of H. Res. 571, the resolution that calls for an immediate withdrawal of our troops from Iraq. I strongly oppose this resolution and its underlying sentiment. Had I been present I would have voted ``nay'' on H. Res. 571.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. William G. Stiglitz III, on his selection as the 101st president of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, IIABA. Bill has been an important part of Louisville's business community for the past 35 years and I pause today to congratulate him on this honor. Bill prepared for his professional career by attending Centre College, from which he graduated in 1968. Upon completion of his studies, Bill served in the U.S. Army, including 14 months in Vietnam with the 35th Engineer Battalion. In 1970, Bill joined his uncle, English Miller, at the insurance firm of Miller & Scholtz. During Bill's career in Louisville, he has been a leader in his industry and within our community. In 1987, he served as the president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky. Bill has also served as president of the Leukemia Society of Kentucky. Bill and his wife Pat have two children, Garrett and Kate. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Bill on this honor. I wish him the best of luck during his term as president of the IIABA.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NORTHUP. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling), who is a good friend. I also thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) and the other Members that joined us tonight to talk about this very, very important issue. You talk so much about the different generations. It is amazing how many people that are concerned about Social Security solvency think about this in terms of all the different generations. I often picture the generations sort of lined up, my mom and dad, my dad passed this year, but my mom. She is 82, and she is sort of up at the front of the line. And then you get back, as people age, and I am 57 and so I am back still on this side of the line of retirement, eight steps away from retirement. My children in their 30s and 20s are further behind me in the line. And the way Social Security works is everybody in the back of the line, before they get to retirement, helps pay the retirement for those at the front of the line. The problem is the line in the back is getting shorter as the line in the front is getting longer. What GROW accounts do is allow younger workers in a sense to throw over the line some savings that will be there when they get there. It saves the people behind them in the line from having to fully fund their retirement, and it gives them the confidence that there will be a retirement savings for them. It begins to change from of a pay-as-you-go system to a long-term funded solvent system that will take care of Americans today, Americans tomorrow, and Americans in the future, so that our whole country will be solvent and able to address the emerging challenges that are bound to emerge with each generation. It is the right thing to do. It is the fair thing to do. It is a good idea for a transition to go through the GROW accounts so that we can set up a system that helps us transform Social Security from a pay-as-you-go to an invested solvent system. I would like to thank my friends and colleagues who joined us late tonight to discuss this important issue. I look forward to working with you, and I know you do also with all the Members the Congress so that we can serve the American people in a responsible way.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Well, I am so excited. I know that the gentlewoman is on the committee that is heading this up. It is an enormous challenge and you all are doing a fabulous job. As the rest of us worry about this and study it and provide ideas, we are so grateful that the gentlewoman's committee is committed to making this happen. Mr. Speaker, I see now that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling) has joined us. It is the end of a very long day, and I am so appreciative that the gentleman came down, because I know that he has worked hard on these proposals and has been committed to them. He has been here with us on other evenings as we have talked about Social Security, and we are eager to have the gentleman join us tonight.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I think he raises a point that is important. Many nights we have talked about personal savings accounts and how many of us believe that in the long run they are the best answer to solvency, to making sure that our younger workers have a system that is there for them, that gives them a good return on investment, a system where as Americans live longer they can count on these dollars in their retirement. But that is not possible today. It is not possible for a variety of reasons. Part of it is politics, part of it is all of the scare tactics that are being used. But, more importantly, sometimes, when you have a very big, complicated problem, it is easier if you solve it in steps, and the first step that Americans seem to be asking us to do is stop making the problem worse by spending the Social Security surplus on other things other than Social Security. I think that is very exciting. When we do that, and I am convinced we will do that, we are going to see that seniors are going to keep getting their Social Security check just like they always have; we are going to see that younger workers are going to find out each year what they have in a personal account for themselves that is going to grow. Many families, especially young families that are trying to balance children and new jobs and so forth, this may be the only savings that they have from one year to the next, and that will be reassuring. And as people understand how that works, I am convinced that the support and the interest in growing that to truly solving the Social Security system will be there. I know that my friend, the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) also has talked before about the hole we are in, if we do nothing, and why we have to deal with this problem now. I think it is important that the gentlewoman add that to the record of our discussion tonight.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Reclaiming my time, it is really a matter of restoring the confidence of the American people that we are going to act in the best long-term interests, fiscal interests, of this country. So I thank the gentlewoman very much for her thoughts on that. I see that now my good friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), is here. He has spent a lot of time talking about and studying the issue of Social Security, is very knowledgeable about it; and I am eager to hear his thoughts on this issue tonight.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Reclaiming my time, it is a huge amount of money. It would be a great investment in the long-term solvency of the program. I did not know whether the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) might want to talk a little bit about the deficit too, because I do think that is something we are hearing a lot about, and it is very reassuring to Americans when they understand this is not more debt.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Reclaiming my time, in fact, for years Congress has spent the Social Security surplus on other things, and it looked as though those things were all affordable because in fact it did not look like deficit spending, when in fact it was taking the Social Security surplus and diverting it to other things. Sometimes people ask me why Congress did that. I always say, you know, if we could bring back the Congresses, if we could get Roosevelt to come back or the ghost of Roosevelt to come back, if we could bring back the Congresses in those days, or even the Congresses in the 50s and the 60s, we could ask them that question. I will bet if they looked at things through our eyes, they would think that maybe they should have put these dollars away into accounts that the American people would own and keep them away from Congress. But all we can do is act as good stewards of the Social Security dollars that are coming in today. None of us can reach back and change what happened in the 60s and the 70s and the 80s. I think the American people understand that. They realize that it is not today's Congress that spent the Social Security surplus in the 60s, but they do expect us to do what we ought to do to make it solvent for the future.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I think it is really important that we talk about not only the benefits, but some of the misinformation out there, because we know that our constituents are hearing it. They are eager to figure out for themselves what the best course is, and it is important that we both not only talk about the benefits, but also the misinformation and what the answer is to that. One of the things I wanted to ask my colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola), about, he was talking about some of the questions or misinformation that were raised in his district with his constituents who he expects to be in his office. One of the things I hear all the time is that these GROW accounts, they are going to increase the deficit for our country and that is going to jeopardize sort of the solvency of the country. Can the gentleman discuss that, whether or not these accounts are going to specifically make the deficit worse.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for his comments. And I know he shares with me an eagerness to hear from the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart), who is so knowledgeable about this issue and works on it every day and has been a remarkable spokesperson for the personal accounts, what they mean to Americans. I am eager to hear her thoughts tonight on this also.

Mrs. NORTHUP. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I would just like to ask my friend from Indiana specifically about the concern that the people coming to his office have about any sort of risk as though current benefits are guaranteed and they are in place. As he said, they are not guaranteed. The fact is the Supreme Court has recognized that. More importantly, we hear people on the floor every day talking about everything is fine until 2042 and then there would be a 25 percent cut in benefits, as though that is perfectly okay for our children and grandchildren. But I would just like to ask the gentleman what he thinks of the 1993 tax bill that raised taxes on Social Security, both the percentage that people pay, the percentage of tax, and the baseline that caused them to have to start paying this tax, if he would not call that a reduction in benefits. If previously those Social Security dollars that people got were not taxed and the portion that was, was taxed at a lower rate, in 1993 in one day, Congress changed the law to start taxing more of people's Social Security dollars at a higher rate, if that was not the government reducing their benefit.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) for all the hard work he is doing on this issue. It takes people who are very dedicated to talk about the issue. We know that there have been a lot of groups that have tried to scare the American people. They have tried to scare our parents and current retirees that somehow this jeopardizes the check that they currently get. And they try to scare younger workers that this is going to be something that is risky. And his courageous and understanding leadership in this to delve into an issue and to explain it in a way that the high school students that he talked to understood and had confidence in it is so important. And I know it will not surprise him to know that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola) has people that are scaring seniors, the young people in his district, throwing out misinformation, trying to dissuade them from supporting these GROW accounts. I invited him here tonight to talk about maybe some of the information, some of the fears, some of the criticisms, maybe some of the rhetoric that he is hearing and to share with us what his answers are to the people in his community and make sure that people that are listening at home tonight that maybe are hearing some of these same things, either recorded phone calls or posters around town, that they will identify with this tactic and understand that they could be reassured that this is a good plan for them. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I am so delighted to be here with my friends and colleagues who also are very committed to strengthening Social Security to make sure that it not only is strong and a viable program for current seniors and for those of us that are the baby boomers and about to retire, but also that it is a program that is sustainable and solvent for our children and our grandchildren. That is a big challenge for us and it is easy today to put off problems that look like they are going to be 2 years in the distance, 4 years in the distance, 10 years in the distance, 25 years in the distance, to take up just what is the most pressing challenge today; but that is a wrong strategy. That strategy leaves our country vulnerable. In this case it gets worst the longer we fail to act. I am pleased our President has discussed this with the American people. He has been very forthright on what the challenges are, and he has shared with the American people that doing nothing is the most dangerous thing we can do when it comes to Social Security. We all know Social Security is a pay-as-you-go. Those that are currently working are paying for those that are currently retired. It used to be that there were 16 workers in the workforce for every retiree. Later there were 10 workers in the workforce for every retiree. Today there are 3, and so that means that considerable resources, considerable dollars that current workers make have to go to sustain each retiree. It is wonderful that we can anticipate longer lives than those who designed Social Security. In fact, it used to be that life expectancy was 62 years, and you could retire when you were 65 years. So when Social Security was first proposed and first passed, there were far more people that paid into the system than would ever think that they would get actual Social Security benefits because of the life expectancy. To our benefit and to the quality of our life, Americans are living far longer. So we need to modernize Social Security so that we do not have two or three workers in the system supporting every retiree as they also have to support their families. We need to make sure that those in the workforce that actually make sure that Social Security is solvent, that when they retire, it is there for them. We need to act sooner rather than later because today it is still possible to deal with the Social Security surplus, to put dollars aside, to build a system that will help make the system solvent and sustainable in later years. I have with me today one of my colleagues, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), who is very knowledgeable about Social Security and in particular about the GROW accounts, the proposal before us right now as we consider whether we take big steps or small steps towards personal accounts that can help us bridge the gap between a system that is not sustainable and not solvent to a system that is there for our children and grandchildren. I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) and am eager to hear what he has to say.

Mrs. NORTHUP. 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 the subject of this special order, which is Social Security.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the recent selection of the Louisville Youth and Children's Choir to represent Kentucky and perform in the 2006 Mozart Youth Choral Festival in Salzburg and Vienna, Austria, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of Amadeus Mozart's birth. Receiving the opportunity to perform in Austria, home of the musical capital of the world, is a great honor and wonderful experience for these young musicians. Founded in 1967 by Italio Taranta, a former Professor of Music and Choral Conductor at the University of Louisville School of Music, the Louisville Youth and Children's Choir is the city's premier children's and youth choral training program, composed of young talent throughout metropolitan Louisville representing grades 4-12. Its repertoire has as much diversity as it has breadth, incorporating music from a broad range of cultural styles, from key classical and modern works to voice and instrumental soloist performances. Invitation to this international music festival is a testament to the Louisville Youth and Children's Choir's passion for excellence in singing and choral performance, which has captivated audiences for nearly thirty years. Thanks in no small measure to Mr. Don Scott Carpenter, Executive Director, and Mrs. Terri E. Foster, Director of Operations, the Louisville Youth and Children's Choir will be sharing their talents with their European peers and perhaps, new musical friendships will form as a result. Next summer, the hills will indeed be alive with the sound of music. The Louisville Youth and Children's Choir will be performing in two of the original venues where Amadeus Mozart himself performed: the Salzburg Dom (or Cathedral) and the Votivkirche (Votiv Church) in Vienna. In fact, not only did Mozart perform here but he was also employed as the Cathedral's Choral Director. In addition to visiting the many historical, artistic and cultural sites in Austria, the Louisville Youth and Children's Choir will have the great honor of performing under the co-directorship of Janos Czifra, who is the Cathedral's present Choral Director, and Dr. Z. Randall Stroope, one of America's foremost conductors and composers. I can only imagine the thrill this must be for a group of young music performers and enthusiasts. I am incredibly proud of such a talented group of artists which, next year, will find itself immersed with the sights and sounds that inspired some of the world's greatest musical geniuses such as Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, and Strauss. Mozart mastered his first piece when he was five years old and, in time, performed before French and English royal courts. In their own special way, these young artists will be following in Mozart's footsteps when they perform in the great halls of history. Mr. Speaker, I join the state of Kentucky in praising the Louisville Youth and Children's Choir for their persistence and hard work. I would like to offer heartfelt congratulations for this most recent honor and I wish them the very best in Austria.

Mrs. NORTHUP

Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Colonel Robert A. Rowlette, Jr., Commander of the Louisville Engineer District since July 2002. Colonel Rowlette will retire from active duty with the U.S. Army on September 1st of this year, with over 26 years of dedicated service to our nation. A native of Berea, Kentucky, Colonel Rowlette was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers upon graduation from the University of Kentucky where he earned both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Civil Engineering. During his military career, Colonel Rowlette's leadership, vision and dedication to duty have contributed significantly to the national defense, economic prosperity and quality of life for our citizens. As Commander of the Corps of Engineers' Louisville District, Colonel Rowlette oversaw Army, Air Force and DOD military construction projects valued in excess of $350 million annually. Major military installations supported include, Fort Campbell and Fort Knox in Kentucky, Scott Air Force Base near St. Louis, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton as well as Army and Air Force Reserve facilities nationwide. Additionally, Colonel Rowlette has been responsible for comprehensive water resources and project operations in 76,000 square miles of the Ohio River watershed, providing flood damage reduction, ecosystem restoration and commercial navigation. Colonel Rowlette extended his leadership well beyond the assigned missions of the Corps of Engineers by personally participating in regional events and promoting a strong partnership between Army and civilian engineers. As immediate Past President of the Society of American Military Engineers' (SAME) Kentuckiana Post, Colonel Rowlette was responsible for hosting the 2005 Joint Engineer Education and Training Conference where more than 1,200 participants came together for professional development. Prior assignments also reflect Colonel Rowlette's commitment to military readiness and willingness to share his considerable talents for the good of others. His service as Commander of the Charleston (South Carolina) District supported our nation's vital deep-draft ports and operation of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway; as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he helped prepare our future Army leaders; and while serving in a variety of combat battalion assignments he helped provide the military deterrence necessary for peace. A good neighbor and valued steward of our defense assets and natural resources, Colonel Rowlette will be remembered for his spirit of service, patriotism and dedication to our nation. On the occasion of his retirement, I wish to extend my best wishes to Colonel Rowlette, his wife Janet and their children Robert and Meredith.