Mike Ross

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged motion.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, before I go any further, I would just like to make one point. The gentleman from Arizona likes to point out and thank all these conservative Democrats who have appeared here tonight for their support of various tax cuts over recent years, which demonstrates to me that the conservative Democrats that have appeared tonight on behalf of these working families that are being left out of the child tax credit, it appears to me that these are common sense, bipartisan Members, and it looks like to me it would be something that the gentleman from Arizona would stop and think, well, wait a minute, you know, these are folks that agreed with us, and now they do not. It looks like a light would come on and he would recognize that this is an act of fairness. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott), another fellow member of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog coalition, a new Member, a shining star in the Democratic Party and a voice of reason.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remaining time. Let me say that I came to this Congress back in 2001 to try to offer up some commonsense solutions to the problems confronting this Nation. Like many Americans, Mr. Speaker, I am sick and tired of all of the partisan bickering that goes on in our Nation's Capital. It should not be what makes the Democrats look good or bad or what makes the Republicans look good or bad; it ought to be about doing right and providing a voice for the people of America, including the 6.5 million working families that have been shut out of tax relief. We are faced with the Nation's largest deficit in our country this year: $455 billion and growing, a deficit that our kids and grandkids have to pay for, money that is coming from the Social Security trust fund. Yet, the Republican national leadership managed to find a way to cut taxes to the tune of $300 billion, but they left out 6.5 million working families. They can talk about how these are folks who do not pay taxes all night long; but the reality is, we are talking about men and women in uniform, policemen, firemen, schoolteachers, folks earning up to $26,625 a year. They have children, and they too deserve the same tax cut as those who earn much more than that. Mr. Speaker, I ask for support and a ``yes'' vote on the motion to instruct conferees on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, tonight I am offering a motion to instruct conferees on the child tax credit. As Congress considered H.R. 2, the Jobs and Growth Tax Reconciliation Act, at a cost of more than $300 billion, one important provision was omitted that affects a majority of the hardworking families in my home State of Arkansas, as well as working families across our Nation. The increase of a child tax credit that could be refundable to include low- to moderate-income families who earn between $10,500 a year and $26,625 a year was dropped from the conference agreement. Wage earners in this group include our men and women in the military, police officers, firefighters, and even our school teachers. Expanding the child tax credit to include the families of these people made up only 1 percent, let me repeat that, made up only 1 percent of the total cost of the tax cut package; but the impact of this omission on the millions of working families who need this relief is immeasurable. I am very proud of our senior Senator from Arkansas, Blanche Lincoln, who led the effort in the United States Senate to correct this wrong, to right this wrong; and the Senate did so in a bipartisan way. The vote in the Senate was 94 to 2. Let me repeat that: in the Senate it was a bipartisan vote, 94 to 2. Mr. Speaker, it is simply wrong. It is wrong to enact a tax cut in the name of economic relief and not give that relief to those who are trying to do the right thing and stay off welfare and work jobs with few or no benefits, struggling day in and day out to make ends meet and provide for their children and their families. At the end of this week, some 25 million checks will be printed and put in the mail. Soon, the 25 million families who qualify under the new tax cut law will begin to receive those checks for child tax credits aimed at providing them with economic relief. This means that a mother of two who earns $65,000 a year will soon find an extra $800 in her mailbox. Meanwhile, a mother of two who earns up to $26,625 will get absolutely nothing, not one dime. We had to explain today to a single mother from my congressional district back home, Arkansas' Fourth Congressional District, who earns $16,000 a year, she was under the impression that she would be getting the child tax credit. After all she works for a living; she pays taxes and wanted our office to settle an argument with a friend who insisted that she did not qualify. Even though she is trying to do the right thing and stay off welfare, her friend told her she does not make enough money to get money back in terms of a child tax credit. We had to tell her that she lost that argument; and because House Republicans, this Republican national leadership has yet to act on a bipartisan, Senate-passed provision, I repeat again on a 94 to 2 vote in the United States Senate, a bipartisan vote, because the House has refused to act on the Senate version, she will be left out in the cold. Mr. Speaker, if we act now, we can include some 6.5 million working families who need this help the most. This motion to instruct does a few simple things. It tells the conferees to agree to the Senate language, the bipartisan language that passed the Senate 94 to 2. It tells the conferees to let this language provide for tax credit checks to be mailed immediately to low-income family, those earning up to $26,625 a year. It provides that the tax credit be extended to personnel in combat zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the globe. It provides assistance for the families of those who died in the tragic Columbia shuttle disaster, and yes, it ensures that this minimal cost is fully offset. In other words, we are not adding to the national deficit through this motion to instruct. The conferees could easily accomplish these changes and bring us a final bill within 2 days, which is what this motion calls for. For those who argue that a tax cut should not be provided for those who do not pay taxes, I am here tonight to say that that dog won't hunt. We are not talking about a tax credit for welfare recipients. We are talking about a tax cut for working families. There are hard- working people in our own offices who fall in this income level. Check out their next pay stub and tell me that they do not pay taxes. Working individuals who pay a significant part of their income in taxes, including Social Security and Medicare taxes and gas taxes and sales taxes and property taxes, taxes which are never cut, should be entitled to share in the benefits of a tax cut, particularly since it is their Social Security Trust Fund, their children's Social Security Trust Fund, and their grandchildren's Social Security Trust Fund that is being raided to pay for this tax cut for the wealthy. It is only fair that tax cuts benefit all Americans who contribute. Let us right the wrong and make sure that those 76,000 working families in my State, and the 6.5 million working families across our country, the families of our firefighters, our policemen, our schoolteachers, and even families with loved ones fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will be included in this effort to provide economic relief. Let us provide it to those who need it the most. Let us provide it to those who will actually spend the refund on items their families need, and in doing so will help get this economy moving forward once again. Let us provide it to America's working families because it is the right thing to do. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to respond to the gentleman from Arizona. All the things he was criticizing H.R. 2 does. In fact, he voted for it and the President signed it. So I am at a loss as to what he was talking about, although I think it is important that I point out to the gentleman from Arizona that back home, in Prescott, Arkansas, just outside of town, off the kill road at my deer camp, we have a saying: ``Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.'' But we are not at the deer camp tonight, we are in the United States House of Representatives, and we are talking about the future of 6.5 million working families. I will tell my colleague that he is right about one thing. I did fail to mention one thing in my opening statement, and that was that this motion to instruct will help 123,000 families who do not get the child tax credit in the gentleman's home State; 19 percent of the working families in his home State. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the ranking member, for yielding me the time. As the owner of a small-town family pharmacy, I got sick and tired of seeing seniors who could not afford their medicine or could not afford to take it properly. That is why back in 2000 I decided to run for the United States House of Representatives. But tonight, what we are debating is nothing more than a false promise for our seniors. Seniors need an accountant to figure out this plan. I put a calculator to it, and here is what the Republican national leadership plan offers our seniors. Seniors will pay the first $2,520 of the first $3,500 worth of medicine they need every year. Now, let us contrast that a moment to a health care plan provided for Members of Congress, those who wrote this plan. Guess what they pay? Seven hundred dollars of the first $3,500 worth of medicine. They want to provide seniors with little help while continuing to take care of Members of Congress. It is simply wrong. This is not a seniors bill, this is a bill written by the big drug manufacturers for one reason only. To privatize Medicare. To privatize Medicare so that Medicare cannot command discounts.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1904, the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. Our Nation's forests are facing a crisis, a crisis that, if not addressed, could have an overwhelming effect on the property and livelihood of Americans all across these United States. Tens of millions of acres of public and private forests throughout the country face catastrophic damage from a host of pests, like the southern pine beetle and the red and white oak borers throughout the South and Midwest. The southern pine beetle is the most destructive insect pest of pine trees in the southern United States. From 1960 through 1990, this insect caused $900 million of damage to pine forests. This aggressive tree killer is a native insect that lives predominantly in the inner bark of pine trees. During epidemics, southern pine beetle infestations often begin in weakened or injured trees, but the populations can invade and overcome healthy, vigorous trees by attacking in large numbers over a short period of time. These attacks are not limited to private or public lands. This insect destroys indiscriminately. Red and white oak trees in the South are also facing serious conditions. In Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, over a quarter of standing saw timber are red oak trees, and it is expected that we will lose up to 33 percent due to borer infestations and related causes. This translates to over $1 billion in losses in those three States alone. These pest outbreaks are not normal. Although oak borers are frequently found in oak-dominated forests, scientists report that the current outbreak is of epidemic proportions. Nearly 1 million acres of national forestlands, almost one out of every three acres, in Arkansas are at risk of losing key ecosystem components. These acres will be eligible for the expedited procedures authorized by this bill. In addition to its original intent to address catastrophic wildfires, H.R. 1904 will also allow us to act fast due to the threat unhealthy forest conditions present to our southern forest ecosystems, air quality, and water quality. We must act fast to help protect our national and private forests throughout the southern and eastern United States and the jobs they provide. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to pay tribute to Bart Lindsey, a beloved resident of the community of Helena and a distinguished Arkansan, who recently passed away at age 56. Mr. Lindsey's life-long contributions to family, community, and country will be missed. Bart Lindsey first made a name for himself in the banking business. Always active in the community, and with an early interest in banking, Bart would come home for summer breaks from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to work as a teller for First National Bank of Phillips County. After graduating college and serving in the military, where he earned a Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal for his service in Vietnam, Bart returned home to the community he loved and accepted a position at that same bank, where he would eventually rise to become chief executive officer. Bart's life provided an example to us all. He found time to serve as an elder in his church, and to serve as vice chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Presbyterian Foundation. He served his State and community by sitting on the Board of Directors of the American Bankers Association, and by serving as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas, and president of the Helena- West Helena Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. But of all his professional accomplishments, I think the one that demonstrates the true depth of Bart Lindsey's character was the Best Boss Award. For 5 years running, Bart held this title because, as one employee put it, ``All of the employees loved him and he always took time to speak to everyone.'' It is a fantastic tribute to Bart's memory that he put people first, and was able to leave for us a lasting legacy of hard work, service, and compassion. While Bart Lindsey may no longer be with us, his spirit and his legacy live on in the example he set and the many lives he touched.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize and honor Katie Beck for being named 2002 Pre-Teen America National Sr. Titleholder, and thank her for her outstanding contributions to her community. Competing against talented young ladies from all across the country, Katie distinguished herself through a demonstrated commitment to community, steadfast character, and drive: all the values that we, as parents, teachers, community members, and legislators, hope to instill in our next generation. As a parent, I understand the demands that our young people face, which is why I am so encouraged by what Katie has accomplished. In addition to being an active member of her church, captain of the dance team, and the starting pitcher for her softball team, Katie has maintained an A average in school from grades first through eighth. Her energy and dedication have earned her numerous accolades and honors including: Duke University TIP Award, President's Education Award, and the National Science Award. At a time when our country needs youth leadership more than ever, Katie has answered the challenge and set a course that can serve as an example for us all. This is a young lady who exemplifies the Arkansas spirit, and who is destined for great things. Just qualifying for the rigorous Pre-Teen program speaks volumes for the character and accomplishments of the young women who compete; however, by being named Pre-Teen America Sr. Titleholder, Katie has also shown maturity and poise beyond her years on top of her many accomplishments. And already, at such a young age, Katie has demonstrated leadership, and exemplary character and grace. Again, I say to Katie, ``Congratulations.'' You are a credit to yourself, your wonderful parents, your community, and your state, which is why it is such an honor for me to be able to thank you again for your contributions to the community and residents of White Hall.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, it was only two years ago that I was congratulating the Warren High School Lumberjacks, and their head coach, Bo Hembree, for winning the Arkansas AAA Boys High School State Football Championship, and here we are again. It is an impressive feat just to win one state title, but winning two in three years is a real testament to preparation, character, and purpose. I think it also demonstrates the spirit of determination and hard work that has always distinguished Arkansans. As a concerned parent, I understand even more that paramount among my duties as a U.S. Congressman is to provide the necessary resources to our students, teachers, and schools that will enable our young men and women to excel and succeed in all their endeavors. Educating the next generation is an important issue not only in the classroom, and the halls of Congress, but also around our kitchen tables at home. I have long been an advocate of athletics and extracurricular activities as a supplement to academic excellence for their ability to instill leadership, character, and perseverance. Activity outside the classroom instills a habit of serving the community, preparing them to take leadership roles and eventually shape the larger world around them. Championships are won in the heart as much as on the field. The will to overcome adversity, the daily drive to succeed, and the mental toughness to perform under pressure carried the young men during their championship season, and will provide them with a well to draw from throughout their entire lives. That is why it brings me so much pleasure to again congratulate the Warren High School football program on winning the AAA Boys High School Football Championship: It is evidence of a culture of excellence and hard work among the student body, coaching staff, Warren High School faculty, and the community. We can all take great pride in the accomplishments of this team, and how they achieved their goals. I am proud of you. It is an honor for me to salute the coaches, parents, and players who stayed the course, and met adversity and challenge to become champions.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to acknowledge the life and legacy of Ronald LaGrone, a colleague and a friend of mine from Hamburg, Arkansas. I was honored to have known Mr. LaGrone, a man who, in deed and action, distinguished himself as a husband, father, businessman, and church and community leader. Ronnie LaGrone owned and ran the LaGrone Drug Store in Hamburg with his brother Fred. For 38 years, he helped to care for the health of his friends and neighbors. Ronnie leaves behind him a proud legacy of service and compassion. He served as Deacon of the First Baptist Church, as Hamburg City Councilman, and as board member of the Arkansas Pharmacy Association. As a pharmacy owner, I owe him a debt of gratitude for his long service of leadership to our profession. Ronnie set out to improve the lives of others through both his professional and his private life. As a member of a small community, I know what men like Ronnie mean to their neighbors; his service was out of true concern for their livelihood. Ronnie's contributions were recently recognized by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, as he was named winner of the Fred LaGrone Lifetime Achievement Award for his role as community pharmacist and as community leader. Clearly, his community mourned his loss. I know Ronnie's passing was especially difficult for his wife, Patricia, and their three daughters, Terri, Kelli, and Staci, and I have kept all of them in my thoughts and in my prayers. While Ronnie LaGrone may no longer be with us, his spirit and his legacy live on in the example he set and the many lives he touched.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in objection to the treatment of our veterans in the House-passed budget. Last October, we authorized President Bush to send our men and women in uniform into battle. Is this how we show our support for the brave soldiers who are risking their lives to fulfill their missions, by slashing funding that will take care of them after they have served time taking care of us? Last week the House managed to pass a budget that cuts veterans' benefits by $28.3 billion over the next ten years. This includes cuts to disability payments and pensions, the Montgomery GI Bill, the VA Health Care System, and other veterans programs. I reject the notion that we need to cut funding for veterans and retirees in order to pay for a multi-billion dollar tax cut package. During this time of military conflict, we have no business supporting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans over benefits to provide for the needs of our veterans. As the conference committee meets to resolve the House and Senate budget differences, I urge them, on behalf of those who have served our country and those who are serving our country right now, to restore funding to the veterans programs that protect those who protect us.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California. We have heard a lot of talk tonight about the Blue Dogs. There are 35 of us in the United States Congress who are conservative Democrats that make up the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. We have one mission as a coalition, and that mission is to promote fiscal discipline, fiscal responsibility, and to bring common sense to our Nation and its budget process. We rise tonight because we are concerned about this country and its future. This country is $6 trillion in debt; and under President Bush's budget that he just released to Congress, over the next 10 years, this country will go from $6 trillion in debt to $9 trillion in debt. This country spends $1 billion every single day simply paying interest on the national debt. What does that mean to all of us? It means a lot. Madam Speaker, $1 billion a day. We could build 200 brand- new elementary schools every single day in America just with the interest that we are paying on the national debt. I have several interstate highway programs under construction in my congressional district back home that will create jobs while the roads are being built and will create jobs long term because of an improved infrastructure which will allow more industry to come and locate in the Delta region, one of the most impoverished regions of the country. I could finish those highways in less than a week just with the interest that we are paying on the national debt. I call it a debt tax. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) had it right. That is one tax that cannot go away because as the debt grows, the amount of interest that we as a Nation are required to pay on that debt also grows. The first $2,559 that every single taxpayer in this country pays each year does not go to educate our children, it does not go to improve roads or to create jobs or improve health care, or to make it affordable and accessible, or to provide prescription drug coverage as a part of Medicare for our seniors, no. The first $2,559 that every taxpayer in this country pays each year simply goes to pay interest on the national debt. We have got to get this debt under control. But now it is getting worse. From 1997 through 2001, this country did not deficit spend. Last year, President Bush's budget put us back in the days of deficit spending to the tune of $199 billion. This year it will be $300 billion. It is projected to be $307 billion next year. We are headed in the wrong direction. We must get out of the days of deficit spending, and we must begin to pay down this debt. Social Security. The President's budget for fiscal year 2004, he wants over a 10-year period to borrow $2.3 trillion from the Social Security trust fund. Our government has already borrowed $1 trillion from the Social Security trust fund, and I think it is time for the politicians in Washington to keep their hands off the Social Security trust fund. There are those in government who will tell us that we must invest that money until the time that we need it somewhere, and that may be true. But let me tell my colleagues something. When I go to the bank to get a loan, they want to know how much I am going to pay back and when I am going to pay it back. This country has already borrowed $1 trillion, getting ready to borrow an additional $2.3 trillion from the Social Security trust fund with absolutely no provision on how it ever gets paid back. Guess what? Assuming it does get paid back, Social Security as we know it today is still broke in 2041, because beginning in 2011, we will have more people earning Social Security benefits than paying into the system. Medicare as we know it today is broke in 2030. Now, the President wants another tax cut for the wealthiest people in America. I am not here to beat up wealthy people. This is America. Many people grow and realize the American dream of being successful, and there is nothing wrong with that. But we are asking our men and women in uniform to now make a sacrifice. We are asking people all across America to sacrifice during this heightened time with the potential for war and terrorism. I think now is not the time to pass additional tax cuts. Let me say this, Madam Speaker. I was one of 28 Democrats to vote with President Bush for his tax cut about a year ago. It was the biggest tax cut in 20 years, $1.3 trillion. But a lot has happened since then. We have gone from a $5.6 trillion projected surplus to a $215 billion debt over the next 10 years. We have had 2.5 million people in America, 2.5 million in America lose their jobs; and anyone who has a retirement plan, a 401(k) plan or invests in the stock market knows exactly what has happened there. We may need dividend tax reform, but now is not the time to do it. Madam Speaker, as I travel my district back home, I have people come up to me and they talk about how they are unemployed for the first time in their lives. They talk about how they are trying to get by on a $600 Social Security check with a $400-, $500-, $600-, even $700-a-month drug bill. People come up to me and talk about how they are struggling to figure out how they are going to afford to send their kids to college; but never has anyone walked up to me back home or anywhere, for that matter, and said, you know, I am having trouble feeding my kids because I am paying too many dividends, too many taxes on my dividends. Now is not the time for that reform. Now is the time to be fiscally responsible. Now is the time to begin to get out of the days of deficit spending and to pay down, to begin to pay down this debt. Here is why it is so important, and here is why the Blue Dog budget addresses those things, and here is why the Blue Dog budget is the right answer during these difficult times to begin the process of getting us out of deficit spending and beginning to pay down the debt. The reason is simple. My grandparents left this country just a little bit better off than they found it for my parents, and my parents left this country just a little bit better off than they found it for our generation. And I think we have a duty; no, I think we have an obligation to leave this country just a little bit better off than we found it for our kids and for our grandkids.

Mr. ROSS. Well, let me say that this is not a partisan issue for me. I was one of those who supported President Bush's tax cut about a year ago. I just think now is not the time for additional tax cuts, not at a time when we are asking our men and women in uniform to sacrifice, and not at a time when we return to the days of deficit spending, and this country is $6 trillion in debt. Again, we are spending $1 billion a day just paying interest on the national debt. Now is the time to restore fiscal discipline to our national government, to pay down this debt, and to get out of the days of deficit spending. Let me tell the gentlewoman two things that concern me. If the President is just dying to spend $700 billion on something, let me tell my colleagues some things we ought to do in this country. We ought to quit talking about modernizing Medicare to include medicine for our seniors and we ought to do it, and we ought to fund it to where seniors can walk into the pharmacy of their choice, pull out their Medicare card and be treated just like they are when they go to the doctor and when they go to the hospital. We hear a lot about homeland security. We hear a lot of talk about it, but it is way underfunded. On February 7, four members of the Cuban Coast Guard on a 30-foot boat made the trip across the waters from Cuba to Key West. They docked at the marina at a hotel in Key West with two machine guns, and they walked the streets of Key West for a number of minutes trying to find somebody to defect to. Thank God it was the Cuban Coast Guard, and thank God they were here to defect. What if it had been terrorists? We have to quit talking about homeland security, and we have to fund it. We have to keep America safe. We have to keep our children safe. We have to keep our grandchildren safe.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), a State that neighbors my State, and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballance), who was here tonight to talk about such an important issue. Back in the year 2000, there was an election and everyone talked about the need to truly modernize Medicare to include medicine for our seniors. Two years went by and nothing happened. Then we had another election in the year 2002. Everyone talked about the need to truly modernize Medicare to include medicine for our seniors, and nothing happened. There are a few of us that are not going to rest until we see a Medicare prescription drug plan for America's greatest generation, our seniors. We hear folks on both sides of the aisle talk about how seniors have to choose between their medicine and their light bill and paying their rent and their groceries. I am here tonight, Mr. Speaker, to state that that is not rhetoric. It is true. I am a small town family pharmacy owner, and before coming to Congress I saw too many seniors come through the doors of our small family pharmacy with a handful of prescriptions after going to the doctor, which Medicare covered, and having tests run on them, which Medicare covered; and then the doctor included the medicine they needed to get well. And they would come through the door of the pharmacy with a handful of prescriptions, and sometimes even one prescription, but sometimes they could not afford that one prescription or they could not afford to take it properly. I live in Prescott, Arkansas, a town of about 3,400 people. We do not even have a hospital anymore. But living in a small town I see seniors that come through the doors of the family pharmacy we owned back home, that could not afford their medicine; and being from a small town, I would learn that a week later that they were in the hospital 16 miles up the road in Hope, Arkansas, running up a 10 or $20,000 Medicare bill simply because they could not afford their medicine or could not afford to take it properly. This is America. We can do better than that by our seniors. A few months ago, I ran into another senior citizen, a retired pharmacist in my district who happened to have been the relief pharmacist at the pharmacy my mom and dad used when I was growing up in the 1960s. She said back in those days which was not that long ago, she said if I had a prescription that cost $5, I would go ahead and fill the next one in line while I built up enough courage to go out and tell the patient that their medicine was going to cost $5. And I think that graphically demonstrates and tells a story about how today's Medicare was really created for yesterday's medical care. Health insurance companies are in the business of making a profit. They have got it. They understand it. They now cover medicine. They now know it holds down the costs of doctor visits, needless hospitals stays, and needless surgeries. No one has accurately portrayed how much money we will save in Medicare part A and part B if we truly modernize Medicare to include medicine for our seniors. Now, the President has another plan, and we have heard about his plan to provide seniors with a discount card. Anybody that watches late night TV, you can buy them every night on TV for $7.95. And if you buy one and take it to a pharmacy, chances are you will pay more money for your prescription; and when you have a savings, you will save 50 cents to $3. A senior with a $600-a-month drug bill on six medications, let us give them the benefit of the doubt and say they save $3 a prescription, saving $18 dollars on a $600 drug bill does not help seniors choose between their medicine and their light bill and their groceries and so forth and so on. And now the President says we will give you some prescription drug coverage if you will sign up for this HMO and let us tell you who your doctor is going to be. That is wrong. And I am not going to rest until our seniors can walk into the pharmacy of their choice, pull out their Medicare card, and be treated just like they are when they go to the doctor and when they go to the hospital.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to help commemorate a month-long learning experience that all of us as Americans should join in celebrating. This month we focus on recalling and embracing a unique part of our American History and the roles of African Americans in shaping what our country is today. History teaches us that every culture and every society endures good and bad, and it is essential that we continue to learn from our past. From slavery abolitionists like Harriett Tubman to civil rights activists like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--even students like the Little Rock Nine who showed unimaginable courage--we have much to learn from the lives of these past and present leaders. They leave quite a mark on the pages of our history books and in the fabric of our country. During this month, it is important that we seek to learn more about historical Black figures; it is important because it shows us what great contributions they made even during an era when many people thought Blacks had nothing to offer. Quite to the contrary--the African American community has given us some of our greatest writers, inventors, athletes, philosophers, musicians, and spiritual and community leaders during dark times in our history. It is during this month that Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Toni Morrison, and baseball great Hank Aaron celebrated their birthdays. It was during this month in 1870 that the 15th Amendment was passed, granting Blacks the right to vote. And this year, during this month, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anderson, who was lost on the Space Shuttle Columbia, died as a pioneer and a living symbol of the progress African Americans have made and the successes yet to come. Black History Month celebrates people and events that were disregarded for long periods of time. It's time we remember. It's time we make Black history our history.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a distinguished constituent and leader in my district, whose professional and civic contributions have helped to shape the business climate in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and throughout the state. Louis Ramsay, Jr. was born in 1918 in Fordyce, Arkansas, in rural Dallas County. He grew up attending the Fordyce public schools, and went on to earn pre-law and law degrees from the University of Arkansas. After law school, he joined the Law Firm of Coleman and Gantt, where he became a Partner in 1948. For the past 54 years he has been with the firm now known as Ramsay, Bridgeforth, Harrelson & Starling, where he continues to serve as ``Of Counsel.'' He was elected President of Simmons First National Bank in 1970 and served as Chairman and CEO from 1973-1983. He currently serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee of Simmons First National Corporation. He is the only person in the state's history to have served as President of the Arkansas Bar Association and the Arkansas Bankers Association. Louis Ramsay was recently honored with an induction into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame, and I cannot think of a more worthy businessman for this distinction. Ramsay has made it a personal mission to use his standing in the business community to better the entire community. He has worked to improve the state's higher education system through service to the University of Arkansas's campuses, including Pine Bluff. He has served as President of the Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce, the Pine Bluff Rotary Club, Fifty for the Future of Pine Bluff, and countless other organizations aimed at improving the quality of life in the area. If we can learn one lesson from the exemplary life and career of Louis Ramsay, it is the value of service. He has served the community of Pine Bluff and the state of Arkansas, he has served our country with distinction in World War II as a pilot in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, and he has served his family and his neighbors as well. I thank Mr. Ramsay for his commitment to improving our state, and I congratulate him on this prestigious distinction.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of a brave and resourceful veteran from my district. Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting him with the Distinguished Flying Cross medal--nearly sixty years after the flight engineer saved his plane by repairing it mid- flight. Ray Huntsinger served as a flight engineer with the United States Army Air Corps, now the Air Force, during World War II. During a mission to bomb Nazi oil reserves in Romania, Huntsinger's plane suffered damaged from anti-aircraft fire. He examined the plane and found that its hydraulic lines, which affect the air brakes and landing gear, had been ruptured. After notifying the pilot that he would have to make an emergency landing, Huntsinger set to work. Using materials he found on the plane, he constructed a patch over the damaged lines, and he strapped parachutes to the plane's waist to slow it down after landing. After circling the airfield until all emergency vehicles were in place, the pilot began his descent, and executed a perfect landing-- the makeshift patch saved the day. Years later, after retiring to Hot Springs Village, Huntsinger recounted the story to a friend of his who happened to be a retired Air Force Colonel. That friend submitted the story to the Air Force, and almost sixty years after that mid-flight repair, Huntsinger was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal. I am so pleased to have the opportunity to properly honor one of our veterans. Mr. Huntsinger had an outstanding military career with the U.S. Army Air Corps during the Second World War. He flew fifty combat missions out of Italy, and in the incident that earned him the Flying Cross distinction, he demonstrated incredible ingenuity and resourcefulness, saving the lives of his fellow soldiers as they fought for their country. I welcome any opportunity to thank our veterans and to hear their stories, and this is quite a story!

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an individual from my district who has lived an extraordinary life and is now working to share the stories of his incredible experiences during the Second World War. Growing up on his family's small Missouri farm during the Depression, Fred Randle become well acquainted with hardship and adversity. One of the first members of his family to graduate high school, Fred was looking forward to earning a steady living and beginning a new life with his new bride when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The young man immediately enlisted in the United States Army, unaware of the unique role he would play in determining the outcome of World War II. During the Quebec Conference of 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill of England, and other allied leaders conceived the idea of having an American ground unit spearhead the Chinese Army with a Long Range Penetration Mission behind enemy lines in Burma. Its goal would be the destruction of Japanese communications and supply lines and generally to play havoc with enemy forces while an attempt was made to reopen the Burma Road. A Presidential call for volunteers for ``A Dangerous and Hazardous Mission'' was issued, and approximately 2,900 American soldiers responded to the call, including Fred Randle. The unit later became popularly known as Merrill's Marauders, named after its leader, Brigadier General Frank Merrill. Shortly after completing basic training at the age of 21. Randle and the Marauders embarked on their mission. During a rendezvous with other ships in the Mediterranean, about 30 German bombers attacked the convoy without success. Fifteen minutes later, a smaller group of planes arrived and one released a guided missile that struck the side of the HMT Rohna. Witnesses watched the total destruction of the boat with its 1,600 Americans aboard. Fewer than 600 survived. Fred Randle was among those 600 survivors, and despite the loss of his fellow soldiers, he continued on to ensure the success of the Marauders' mission. I find Randle's wartime experiences truly inspiring, and I salute him for his eagerness to share his story with younger generations so they may understand what it is like to fight for your country, even when faced with unbelievable setbacks. Fred Randle is truly part of America's greatest generation, and his sacrifices and contribution to our country are among the reasons we remain free today.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an individual from my district who provides quite an inspiration for each and every one of us on how to live, and how to work. J.E. Dunlap, Jr. is editor, publisher, and reporter for the Harrison Daily Times. At age 80, he continues to cover sports and other events and writes weekly articles for the paper. According to co-workers, he has an uncanny ability to just glance at a page of the paper before it is printed, and locate errors immediately. Mr. Dunlap knows how to change with the times. He was instrumental in converting early typeset and printing facilities to modern press and computer equipment. He continues to work today with modern typeset computers, a laptop, and email. He has received numerous journalism awards including the Distinguished Service Award presented by the Arkansas Press Association and he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, twice. In addition, he was cited by the Social Security Administration for effective and continued public service for keeping the public fully informed on Social Security issues. He says the honor he is most proud of was earning his wings as a Second Lieutenant during his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 1940's. About working at age 80, Mr. Dunlap says ``there is great satisfaction in knowing that I can continue doing my job after 64 years.'' His advice to young people entering the workforce is, ``be sure the job is something that you truly want to do and make every effort to fulfill the job requirements.'' I would like to congratulate him on being named this year's Outstanding Older Worker of Arkansas.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a highly regarded Arkansan, Dr. Cleon A. Flowers, Sr. Dr. Flowers passed away in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on his 89th birthday after spending more than six decades caring for the health needs of Pine Bluff and Southeastern Arkansas. With Dr. Flowers' passing, Arkansas and the state's medical community lost an icon in medicine. Dr. Flowers, described as the Godfather of Arkansas Medicine, was born in Stamps, Arkansas, a small rural town in the Southwest region of the state. After earning his undergraduate degree from Arkansas AM&N College, now the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Dr. Flowers received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College, a historically black academic health center and preeminent medical school. Upon returning to Pine Bluff with a medical degree and after service in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a major, Dr. Flowers began practicing medicine with an emphasis on putting the patient's needs first. He would often accept chickens, pigs, or homegrown vegetables as payment and open his office after hours to accommodate the odd hours his patients worked. Living in the segregated South Dr. Flowers realized the challenges that African Americans faced and wanted to ensure African Americans received quality health care, regardless of income and ``normal'' business hours. During his private practice, Dr. Flowers owned and operated the United Links Hospital, a medical facility for Blacks. The hospital has since been renamed the Flowers Professional Building. In addition to his professional milestones, Dr. Flowers was a community leader, becoming one of the first Black doctors on staff at what is now Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, serving on the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and being a member of the National Medical Association and the National Association for Advancement of Colored People. Dr. Cleon A. Flowers, Sr. was an excellent physician and community leader. His presence in Pine Bluff and Arkansas will be missed. In addition to my Congressional Record statement, I have also submitted an article from Jet magazine's September 16, 2002 issue, which discusses Dr. Flowers' life. Dr. Cleon A. Flowers Sr., 89, Noted Pine Bluff, AR, Physician, Succumbs Praised as an old-fashioned physician more interested in serving his patients than filling his pockets, Dr. Cleon A. Flowers Sr. recently was remembered by family and friends during services at New St. Hurricane Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, AR. Flowers, born in Stamps, AR died at his home in Pine Bluff on his 89th birthday, ending a nearly 60-year career that began in 1943 after he graduated from Meharry Medical College. ``It did not matter to him if a person had money to pay for his service or not. He only wanted to be sure the needs of his patients were met,'' his son, Clifford Flowers, told the Pine Bluff Commercial newspaper, which interviewed Dr. Flowers in 1999. During that interview the popular physician fondly recalled his early days as a doctor, citing his fees: Two dollars for an office visit, $3 for a house call and $35 for a home baby delivery. ``I even got paid with pigs, chickens, homegrown vegetables and wild game. Those were the good old days,'' he said. Dr. Flowers made national news in 1954 when he delivered the first Siamese twins born at home. But he did not rest on his laurels. Retired Jefferson County Coroner Havis Hester told the newspaper: ``I remember him opening his office until 3 a.m. in the morning just to accommodate his patients who had to work and could not get there during normal office hours. I never knew any other doctor to do that...'' The second son of three born to Alonzo and Beulah Flowers, Flowers, borne in 1913, graduated from Arkansas AM&N College (now University of Arkansas Pine Bluff) in 1939. He completed studies at Meharry Medical School in 1943. During his internship at Meharry he was drafted by the U.S. Army Air Corps and later was commissioned as a major. Dr. Flowers opened his private practice in Pine Bluff in 1945 and in 1946 he bought the building occupied by the United Links Hospital, a medical facility for Blacks, which he continued to operate until 1950. Today it is the site of the Flowers Professional Building. In 1950, Dr. Flowers became one of the first Black doctors on the staff of what is now the Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. His numerous medical and civic affiliations included service on the Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College/University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Board of Trustees, the Arkansas Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Assn., where he served as president, and memberships in the National Medical Assn., Prince Hall Masons and NAACP. ``Most doctors retire after 20 or 30 years, after they think they've gotten rich. I've seen fellows quit and then they go home and shut down. They just wasted away. I'm going to keep chugging along,'' he told the Commercial. Dr. Flowers did just that. He worked well into the his 80s. In addition to his wife, Martha, he is survived by six children: sons Dr. Cleon A. Flowers Jr., Dr. John A. Flowers, Clifford Flowers Sr., Clyde Flowers, and Randall Flowers, and daughter Dr. Martha Flowers.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, last night, our President explained very clearly that Saddam Hussein is a malicious tyrant with weapons of mass destruction and the ability to use them. He has ignored U.N. resolutions more than a dozen times. He has supported terrorism. He cannot be trusted, and he can no longer be tolerated. I have met with President Bush twice in the past 2 weeks to discuss Iraq and the threat that Saddam Hussein poses to America. President Bush provided me the evidence I need to support this resolution. Saddam Hussein is training terrorists to make and use weapons of mass destruction. He has these weapons, and I believe he will use them against our country and our people. I have a brother-in-law in the United States Air Force and a first cousin in the United States Army. I do not want war. None of us want war. We all want peace. We all want to know America like we did before September 11, 2001. I do not want war, but what I do want is to prevent another attack on our people. September 11, 2001, taught us a painful but unforgettable lesson about the evil that our enemies are capable of displaying and, yes, carrying out against our country and its people. Our world has changed, our enemy has changed, and our approach must also change. This is a decision I never thought I would have to make. It is a difficult decision that has weighed heavily on me. But for the sake of my family, my neighbors, my constituents, and our country, I know it is the right decision, and that is why I will reach across party lines and stand by our President. This resolution authorizes our President to use military action against Iraq as a last resort. He has said that he will continue to work with the U.N. and that he will seek to form a coalition of allies to disarm Iraq, if necessary. Our responsibility is clear. We must rise to meet this challenge and pass this resolution so our men and women in the military, our allies across the globe, members of the United Nations, and, yes, even Saddam Hussein himself will know that we are united in our mission to make America safe again. Our world has changed, our enemy has changed, and our approach must also change.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues for your support of H.R. 3815, the Presidential Historic Site Study Act, a bipartisan bill I offered earlier this year. This bill simply begins the normal process for preserving an important American presidential landmark. American Presidents are a hallmark of our society. The way in which Americans forever remember leadership of the “greatest nation” is through their policies, their words, and through the people and places that have shaped their lives. We place a great significance on the homes of Presidents because they are a part of our nation's history. They are where our leaders formed the beliefs and values that shaped their decisions and legacies. Anyone who has visited Mt. Vernon, Monticello, or Abraham Lincoln's birthplace at Spring Creek has felt a sense of the historic value of where they stood and what they saw. The birthplace home of President William Jefferson Clinton holds a piece of our presidential history, and it is only fitting for it to be designated as a National Historic Site. I share the unique opportunity of being the Representative of former President Clinton's birthplace home, Hope, Arkansas. In fact, I am a 1979 graduate of Hope High School. In that small town called Hope, President Clinton was educated and encouraged by a loving family in a home at 117 South Hervey Street. This home stands as a marker of his heritage. The Clinton Birthplace Foundation was formed several years ago, and has successfully renovated the home, turning it into a museum and visitors center. Today, the home is a tourist attraction on a local scale, and the Clinton Birthplace foundation is looking to have the home placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Landmark. In order for this to happen, a feasibility study must be completed. This study is only the first step in a lengthy process. H.R. 3815 will set this process in motion by authorizing the feasibility study. The eventual designation as a National Historic Site will open the doors of economic opportunity by way of added tourism to Southwest Arkansas. Thirty-one of my fellow colleagues are cosponsoring this legislation with me, including the complete Arkansas delegation. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a Republican, is also supportive of this study. Arkansans view this home as part of our state history. This is not about politics, but instead about the rich history of Arkansas and our Nation. This site will help to celebrate that history and educate thousands of visitors, and perhaps most importantly, it will bring jobs, opportunities, and economic development to a part of our district that greatly needs it.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate an outstanding member of our military, and native of my district, whose impressive service in the United States Navy makes our district, our country, and me very proud. Vince McBeth was born the fourth child of Velma McBeth-Slaughter and the late Manuel M. McBeth in Camden, Arkansas. In 1983, he graduated from Fairview High School, where his impressive athletic and academic performance earned him many honors. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was Captain of the Navy Football Team as well as an officer on the Brigade Staff. Upon receiving a commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, McBeth completed division officer tours aboard two guided-missile frigates, USS Duncan and USS John A. Moore, and a guided-missile cruiser, USS Antietam, in Long Beach, California. He then served as Operations Officer aboard the USS Barry in Norfolk, Virginia. At age 30, McBeth became one of the youngest officers to command a warship. As Commanding Officer of the USS Tempest, McBeth commanded more than 50 special warfare missions while deployed to the European and Caribbean theaters. After earning a Master's Degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, McBeth returned to serve as Executive Officer of the USS Barry. He now serves as a Commander in the U.S. Navy and the Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy. McBeth was recently appointed as a White House Fellow. McBeth's service to our country extends beyond his actions in the military. He has coordinated Adopt-A-School programs in several communities and implemented U.S. Embassy-sponsored community relations projects in numerous countries abroad. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, and three Navy Achievement Medals. Throughout his life, McBeth has sought to better himself, his community, and his country. He is a model for today's youth of what is possible through hard work, discipline, and most of all, compassion. I congratulate him on his recent White House appointment, and I wish him luck in what I know will be many more selfless years of service to our great nation.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, September 11, 2001, is a day that none of us will ever forget. I was sitting in my office across from our Nation's Capitol, and from the window in my office, I literally saw smoke rise from the Pentagon. A few hours later, I would learn that a young Navy petty officer from our district named Nehamon Lyons would be among the casualties at the Pentagon. Picking up the phone and calling his mom, Mrs. Jewel Lyons, back in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was the most difficult call I have ever made. This morning, I joined with other Members of Congress and with our President, united, Democrat and Republican alike, united as one America, as we remembered in a special service at the Pentagon. We remembered those who lost their lives 1 year ago today at the Pentagon, at that pasture in Pennsylvania, and, yes, at the World Trade Center in New York City. After that ceremony I returned to my office and I called Mrs. Jewel Lyons in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to let her know what I had just experienced in that very special and moving service at the Pentagon and to let her know that America has not forgotten that young Navy petty officer, Nehamon Lyons, and his service to this great country. My grandfather taught me to always look for something good in everything bad. There was not anything good about September 11, but I do believe it has brought out the best in the American spirit. I see a country today that is more patriotic than perhaps ever in my lifetime. I see a country today with a greater appreciation for our veterans and our soldiers. And I see a country today that is praying a lot more. Bible sales are up, church attendance is up, and I know that means America is only getting stronger.