Mike Ross

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of April Renetta Love of Hope, Arkansas. April was born on May 1, 1985 in Texarkana and passed away this month in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I wish to recognize her life and achievements. A 2003 honors graduate of Hope High School, April was a junior at the University of Arkansas and was majoring in Political Science, Communications, and African-American Studies. April was extremely active in a wide array of campus organizations at the University of Arkansas. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Order of the Eastern Star Youth Fraternity and Young Democrats. Her interest in politics extended beyond campus and she spent the summer of 2005 interning for the Congressional Black Caucus in the nation's capital, when I had the privilege of meeting this bright and talented young woman. April was also an accomplished musician and served as the church pianist for seven years. April will forever be remembered for her contagious smile, her leadership and for her commitment to furthering her education. My deepest condolences go out to her parents, Ira and Magic Love; her sisters, Bridget and Crystal; her brother, Stephen; and her grandparents. April's legacy and spirit will live on in those whose lives she touched.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor of the life and legacy of Mayor Paul B. Choate, who passed away at the age of 71 on August 5, 2005. Mayor Choate was born on May 28, 1934 in Lonoke, Arkansas. Mayor Choate graduated in 1957 from the State Teacher's College and taught school in Paris, Arkansas. He was also a retired biologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. In 1967, Mayor Choate moved to Hempstead County and distinguished himself as the first juvenile judge and helped to establish Medical Park Hospital in Hope where he served as a Hempstead County Memorial Hospital Board member. Mayor Choate was an economic ambassador for the small town of Blevins. As Mayor, he updated the city's sewer system, helped to bring industry to the city, and acquired one of only four generators obtainable from the state for Blevins during the horrific ice storm of 2000 that paralyzed much of Arkansas. Perhaps what drove Mayor Choate the most was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Blevins, he was a founding minister of the World of Faith Church and a pastor at the Marlbrook Baptist Church for 7 years. Mayor Choate truly led an exemplary life and will forever be remembered for his dedication to his family, his community, and the church. My deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Pamela D. Young Choate, their four sons, David, Roy, Timothy, and Andrew, his brothers, William King and Lee King, his sister, Julia, his eight grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a great Arkansan and a devoted public servant, State Representative ``Nap'' Napoleon Bonaparte Murphy. Representative Murphy passed away on August 23rd at the age of 83. He worked for nearly 50 years as the owner of a successful car dealership in Hamburg, Arkansas, but is better remembered for his colorful personality and career dedicated to helping the people in his community from the Arkansas State Legislature. Representative Murphy was born on September 26, 1921, in Crossett, Arkansas. After moving to Hamburg in 1948, he bought the Main Street Esso Station and just 4 years later, he purchased the local Ford Dealership. Representative Murphy was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1959, serving just one term before returning to Hamburg to run his business, and was re-elected in 1963 where he served until his retirement in 1995. Representative Murphy served as the distinguished Chairman of the House Agriculture and Economic Development Committee. I had the pleasure of knowing Representative Murphy when I served in the Arkansas State Senate. He was a dynamic character who would begin and end every legislative session wearing his white suit and black bowtie. He had a great love for bluegrass music and enjoyed playing the banjo, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle. Arkansas will certainly miss this great politician from humble beginnings and I will miss his sense of humor and dedication to our state. My condolences go out to Nap's son, Jimmy, his daughter, Ila Murphy Campbell, his eight grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of John H. Johnson. Born in 1918 in Arkansas City, AR, Mr. Johnson passed away on August 8 at the age of 87. Mr. Johnson has set an example for us all by being both an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. I would like to recognize Mr. Johnson's lifetime of contributions to Arkansas and our Nation. Mr. Johnson began his distinguished career in 1942 as editor and publisher of Negro Digest. Just 3 years later, he began publishing Ebony Magazine, one of the most influential African-American magazines in the world, with a $500 loan. Mr. Johnson later became the founder, publisher, and chairman of Johnson Publishing Company, the world's largest African-American owned publishing company. In 1982, Mr. Johnson was the first African-American to be named on the Forbes list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. Mr. Johnson's long list of awards and achievements include: the Black Journalists' Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, the Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Entrepreneurial Excellence Award in 1993, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996--the highest honor this Nation gives to a citizen, the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Award in 2001, the Vanguard Award in 2002, and the Trumpet Award in 2002. Arkansas City and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff have worked together to create the John H. Johnson Cultural and Education Museum. On May 21 of this year, this museum was dedicated in Desha County, AR. The museum captures Mr. Johnson's life by restoring his boyhood home and includes period memorabilia, printed material, and video chronicles. I know it was a tremendous honor for Mr. Johnson to return to his home and see the great tribute dedicated in his honor. I am deeply saddened by Mr. Johnson's death. His dedication, entrepreneurial spirit, and legacy will continue in Arkansas for the years and decades ahead. My heartfelt condolences go to his wife, Eunice, and their daughter, Linda Johnson Rice, and their granddaughter, Alexa Rice.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Judge Edward Thomas Smitherman, Jr. to Hot Springs, Arkansas and congratulate him on his retirement. For more than 16 years, Judge Smitherman served on the bench of the 18th Judicial Circuit-East, both as a circuit and chancery judge. He served with distinction as the circuit's first administrative judge, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Uniform Reporting of Case Information, and as chairman of the Board of Certified Court Reporter Examiners. Judge Smitherman has also given back to the Hot Springs community by serving on several civic boards including the Hot Springs Optimist Club, the Area Council of Aging, the Boys Club, the Salvation Army and the Hot Springs School Board. I wish Judge Smitherman the best of luck and success in future endeavors and safe travels in his retirement.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Robert ``Bob'' Compton of El Dorado, Arkansas. Mr. Compton passed away on Saturday, August 6th at the age of 76. A graduate of Hendrix College in 1949 and the University of Arkansas Law School in 1952, Mr. Compton was an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and in 1970 ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Arkansas. Additionally, Mr. Compton was a Special Associate Justice and Special Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court and served as Special Chairman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission. A member of the Arkansas Bar Association and President from 1975- 1976, Mr. Compton distinguished himself among his colleagues as an outstanding attorney. This is further evidenced by his receipt of the Arkansas Outstanding Lawyer Award in 1988, a classroom dedicated in his name at the University of Arkansas School of Law in May 2004, and the Arkansas Bar Foundation Award for Excellence in June 2004. Mr. Compton was a respected attorney and was dedicated to his family, community and state. Bob was a good friend who inspired me through his wise counsel, deeds and actions, just as he has so many others over the years. Bob leaves the City of El Dorado and the State of Arkansas a better place because of his many contributions. Bob Compton truly led an exemplary life and developed a profound respect for our legal system. My deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Margaret Compton, their sons, Robert C. Compton, Jr. and Walter Knox Compton, their daughter, Cathleen Compton, and their grandchildren, Maggie, Whitley, Jackson, and Tyler.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life and legacy of Ray Braxton Martin. Ray died on August 21, 2005 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Born on November 23, 1919 in the town of Rison, Arkansas, Ray graduated as co-valedictorian with his twin brother, Roy, from Rison High School in 1937. Ray and his brother dedicated 31 years to Martin Brothers Gas Company. Ray is perhaps best remembered in Rison for his service to the Election Commission for nearly 35 years. It was imperative to Ray that local elections were carried out with the utmost integrity and honesty. Ray's impressive list of community activities include the Superintendent of Rison Baptist Church Sunday School where he was also a deacon, a 32nd degree Mason, past President of Arkansas Butane Association, and past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Henderson State University. As you can see, Ray spent a lifetime giving back to his community. An avid Rison Wildcat football fan, Ray will be remembered by many in the Rison community for nearly six decades as the voice of the Wildcats. In 1995, Ray and his brother were honored for their dedication to the Rison School District when the school district designated a `Ray and Roy Martin Week' to honor a half century of service. Ray truly set a high bar of community service for us all to aspire to. Ray was a dear friend of mine and my heartfelt condolences go out to Ray's wife, Mary Ethel, their daughters, Cindy and Hilda; their grandsons, Marty, Russ, and Jason; and their great-granddaughters, Lindsey and Ella. While Jim may no longer be with us, his legacy and his spirit will always live on in all the lives he touched.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, on July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. This legislation was the world's first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was the next step in the civil rights revolution that began with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ADA extended broad civil rights protections to America's 54 million citizens with a disability. To the over 97,000 working disabled Arkansans, this legislation has helped to establish greater options for individuals who are willing and able participants in our communities. Among its key provisions, the ADA prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities. It calls for the removal of barriers to access for people with disabilities to a wide range of public accommodations, including restaurants, lodgings, places of entertainment, hospitals, doctors' offices, pharmacies, grocery stores, and all other retail and service establishments. It also requires the removal of barriers to access for people with disabilities to various public services, including public transportation. Additionally it mandates that telecommunications be made accessible to those with speech and hearing impairments through the use of special relay systems. Over the last 15 years, there is no question that the ADA has ushered in significant change. One need only look around to see the signs of progress: curb cuts, wheelchair lifts, Braille signs, and assistive listening devices at movie theaters. The ADA has made transit systems and communications systems more accessible. And, perhaps most importantly, the ADA has begun to change society's attitudes toward people with disabilities. Despite this important and widespread progress, the promise of the ADA remains unfulfilled for far too many. A major focus of the ADA, for example, was to improve employment opportunities. However, the evidence shows that there has been little change in the employment rate of people with disabilities. Only 32 percent of people of working age who have a disability are employed. And today, people with disabilities are still three times more likely to live in poverty. Furthermore, we can still find disparities for the disabled in education, housing, and technology. It is for this reason that we need to take greater steps to ensure that the disabled community not only has access to, but is also participating in gainful elements of all programs and facets of society. I call on my fellow colleagues to join together in a bipartisan effort to find ways we can strengthen the ADA and fulfill our commitment to our disabled communities.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the week of August 7-13, 2005, as ``National Health Center Week.'' Community Health Centers, CHCs, are a critical component of our health care infrastructure. These centers provide vital care to some of the neediest and disadvantaged people who have few places to turn. In 2004, 105,907 patients were served by CHCs in Arkansas; with a total of 435,211 patient encounters. Of this amount 52,794, 49 percent, were uninsured; 58 percent served lived below 200 percent of the poverty level; 12.9 percent were Medicare patients; and 18.9 percent were Medicaid patients. CHCs help in lowering health care costs in our country. In Arkansas, CHCs help save the State 30 percent, or $3 million, in Medicaid savings due to reduced hospital admissions, reduced specialty care referrals, and fewer emergency room visits. In 2003, 1.2 million emergency room outpatient hospital visits were made by Arkansans. This resulted in approximately 115,607 visits that could have been treated in a CHC. That was $75 million in unnecessary care costs that would have been saved if CHCs had been accessed for these services. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of a House Resolution that recognizes the importance of the Medicaid reimbursement system in our Nation's CHCs. I call on my fellow colleagues to join together in a bipartisan effort to protect Medicaid funding in the fiscal year 2006 appropriations cycle for these entities, so that they can continue to serve our poor and uninsured populations, and continue to help bring savings to our health care system. I commend the work and dedication of CHC staff and their substantial contribution to helping numerous needy Americans receive health care during the week of August 7-13, 2005.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a charitable and respected Arkansan, Jackson T. Stephens. Mr. Stephens passed away on July 23, 2005 at the age of 81. He was a businessman and philanthropist who lived an exemplary life of tremendous accomplishments and I wish to recognize his life and achievements. Born in Grant County on August 9, 1923, Mr. Stephens grew up on a farm near Prattsville, Arkansas, the youngest of six children. A child of the Great Depression and humble beginnings, Mr. Stephens learned the importance of hard work and how to earn his keep. Prior to attending college, Mr. Stephens joined his father on the family farm, and by the age of fifteen, held numerous jobs at the Barlow Hotel in Hope. Upon graduation from high school, Mr. Stephens attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946. After graduation from the naval academy, Mr. Stephens joined his brother, Witt, in Little Rock at a municipal bond house. By 1956, Mr. Stephens and his brother bought the Fort Smith Gas Company, calling it Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Company, and an oil and gas exploration firm, renaming it the Stephens Production Company. Stephens, Inc. became the umbrella organization for the businesses, and later Stephens Media Group. Mr. Stephens served as Chief Executive Officer of Stephens, Inc. for 29 years, until 1986. In addition to becoming one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, Mr. Stephens was extraordinarily charitable. In 2002, he donated $48 million dollars to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the largest donation the University of Arkansas has ever seen. Mr. Stephens also gave $20 million to the Episcopal Collegiate School, $20.4 million to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, $5 million to Harding University, and $10 million to his alma mater, the U.S. Naval Academy. Mr. Stephens once said, ``There are only two pleasures associated with money. Making it and giving it away.'' For 20 years, Mr. Stephens was the primary contributor for The Delta Project, a program aimed at educating underprivileged children in the Arkansas Delta. Mr. Stephen's immense generosity did not end with education. Mr. Stephens was also a remarkable supporter of the arts, and permanently donated to the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock his personal collection of artwork that include the likes of Degas, Monet, Picasso and Wyeth. Mr. Stephens also had a tremendous love for golf as evidenced by his enviable handicap of five. He was invited to join the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia in 1962, and served as the chairman of the institution from 1991-1998. Mr. Stephens's contributions to his community and the state of Arkansas did not go unnoticed. In 1965, Mr. Stephens was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Citation from the University of Arkansas and in 1985, was bestowed an honorary law degree by the University. He received the Horatio Alger Award in 1980 and the J. William Fulbright Award for international trade development in 1989. Mr. Stephens was not only a proud member of the Arkansas State Golf Hall of Fame, but also the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. From a Grant County farm boy raised during the depression, Mr. Stephens turned a small business acquisition into a global enterprise. Mr. Stephens will not only be remembered for his savvy business entrepreneurial skills, but also for his tremendous generosity to underprivileged children, education, and a tremendous appreciation of the arts. I extend my deepest and sincerest sympathies to Mr. Stephens's wife, Harriet, their sons, Steve and Warren, their six grandchildren, Caroline, Jackson, Mason, Miles, John, and Laura; two great grandchildren, Sydney and Bruce; and two adopted children, Kerry LaNoche and James.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I was not in Washington, DC during the week of June 27-July 1, 2005 due to a family obligation. My father had bypass heart surgery and I was with him and our family in Arkansas during that time. Below are the recorded votes that were taken in my absence and how I would have voted had I been present. On Monday, June 27, 2005--rollcall No. 322, ``yea''; and rollcall No. 323, ``yea.'' On Tuesday, June 28, 2005-- rollcall No. 324, ``yea''; rollcall No. 325, ``nay''; rollcall No. 326, ``nay''; rollcall No. 327, ``nay''; rollcall No. 328, ``nay''; rollcall No. 329, ``yea''; rollcall No. 330, ``yea''; rollcall No. 331, ``yea''; rollcall No. 332, ``yea''; rollcall No. 333, ``yea''; rollcall No. 334, ``nay'' and rollcall No. 335, ``yea.'' On Wednesday, June 29, 2005--rollcall No. 336, ``yea''; rollcall No. 337, ``nay''; rollcall No. 338, ``yea''; rollcall No. 339, ``yea''; rollcall No. 340, ``yea''; rollcall No. 341, ``nay''; rollcall No. 342, ``yea''; rollcall No. 343, ``yea'' and rollcall No. 344, ``yea.'' On Thursday, June 30, 2005--rollcall No. 345, ``yea''; rollcall No. 346, ``yea''; rollcall No. 347, ``yea''; rollcall No. 348, ``yea''; rollcall No. 349, ``yea''; rollcall No. 350, ``yea''; rollcall No. 351, ``yea''; rollcall No. 352, ``nay''; rollcall No. 353, ``yea''; rollcall No. 354, ``yea''; rollcall No. 355, ``yea''; rollcall No. 356, ``yea''; rollcall No. 357, ``yea''; rollcall No. 358, ``yea''; rollcall No. 359, ``nay''; rollcall No. 360, ``yea''; rollcall No. 361, ``yea'' and rollcall No. 362, ``yea.''

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and legacy of John W. Parkerson, who passed away at the age of 59 in Hot Springs, Arkansas on April 21, 2005. John was born on October 18, 1945 in Paragould, Arkansas, in the hills of Greene County. John distinguished himself as a husband, father, grandfather, lawyer, and legislator. A graduate of Hot Springs High School, John considered Hot Springs home and was driven by the ideal of improving the lives of the citizens of Garland County. After graduating from Hendrix College, John attended the University of Arkansas Law School and graduated in 1971. John was extremely active in the Hot Springs community, including the Arkansas Bar Association, the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Board, Abilities Unlimited, and the Hot Springs Rotary Club. Additionally, he became the first Garland County Small Claims Court Judge and was a member of the Garland County Community College Board of Trustees. John spent 12 years in the Arkansas Legislature and once ran for the United States House of Representatives, commenting the best part of politics was the people it gave you the opportunity to meet. John led a life of public service and dedication in every endeavor he undertook and will always be remembered for his tremendous devotion to Arkansas. John truly led an exemplary life. My deepest sympathies go out to his wife Sanda, his son Christopher Parkerson and daughter-in-law Kim, and son Ben Parkerson, and his grandchildren.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gene Sparling of Garland County, Arkansas, who recently rediscovered the ivory-billed woodpecker in the Big Woods area of Arkansas. North America's largest woodpecker, often called the ``Lord God Bird,'' was last spotted in 1944 and thought to be extinct. Mr. Sparling has sought out wild and natural wonders throughout his life, exploring Mexico's Baja Peninsula, the Rocky Mountains, and Arkansas's own Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. In 2003, Mr. Sparling began exploring Big Woods of Arkansas through the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge by way of kayak and observed the ivory-billed woodpecker. Since the search began in March 2004, there have been over a dozen sightings of the ivory-billed woodpecker by experts in the Big Woods of Arkansas's Mississippi Delta. The ivory-billed woodpecker, valued for its plumage and sought after by American Indians as magical, has birdwatchers and environmentalists around the world rejoicing. I am honored to recognize Mr. Sparling, and extend my sincere gratitude for his incredible discovery of the once thought extinct ivory-billed woodpecker. Mr. Sparling is an inspiration to us all, and I consider it a privilege to serve as his United States Congressman in the House of Representatives.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Daniel R. Kinley who passed away at the age of 46 on June 12, 2005, in Chicot County, Arkansas. Danny was born on March 14, 1959, in Wichita, Kansas. Danny distinguished himself as a terrific father, loving husband, and community hero. Danny, a member of Parkview Baptist Church, was a firefighter for the El Dorado Fire Department for 11 years, eventually earning the distinguished rank of Captain. Day after day, Danny risked his life in the pursuit of saving others. There is no greater civil service, no job more commendable than that of a firefighter. I extend my deepest sympathies to Danny's family. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Leslie; their son Braxton; their daughters Heather and Devan; mother and stepfather Maureen and Fred Buchanan; his brother Bryan Taylor of Little Rock; and his two sisters Karen and Tanya.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, today, I pay tribute to Little River County Judge Clyde Benton Wright. Judge Wright passed away on June 10, 2005 at the age of 63. I wish to recognize his legacy and lifetime of dedication to public service. Judge Wright was born on October 30, 1941, in Little River County. Graduating from Foreman High School in 1959, he began a career in the United States Marine Corps with assignments that included Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Judge Wright specialized in and instructed escape and evasion tactics and trained Navy Seals. Following a distinguished career in the military, Judge Wright moved to Los Angeles and began a career that spanned over two decades with the Los Angeles Police Department, where he earned a prestigious Detective Ill rank. Following a special request from the government, Judge Wright also taught courses to new Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. In 1984, Judge Wright returned with his family to Little River County. In 1988, he was elected to the post of Little River County Judge, and served in that post for more than eight consecutive terms. As Judge, he helped to secure funding for improvement of local roads and the hospital, and furthered industrial development in Little River County. Judge Wright led a lifetime of devotion to his family, to public service, and to the betterment of the lives of others. I am honored to have known him and counted him as a friend. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Barbara Lampenfeld Wright, their sons, Lonnie Benton Wright of Little Rock and Marshall Alan Wright of Forrest City, their daughter-in-law, Kristen Collier Wright, and six-week old twin grandchildren, Collier and Syble, and his father, Bud Wright.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. If the gentleman will yield, he is absolutely right. It took 200 years to go $1 trillion in debt, and now we do it every 20 months in this Nation. But in terms of raising the debt limit, it is my understanding that what the gentleman means by that is it is kind of like a credit card with a credit limit. And when the Federal Government reaches its limit, the Congress has to vote either by voice vote or rollcall to raise the debt limit before we can exceed whatever it was before. And it is my understanding that we exceeded the debt limit back in October of 2004, but we really did not want to bring attention to it. The leadership here did not want to bring attention to the fact. They did not want to bring us back to raise the debt limit weeks before the election, so they literally used Federal employees' 401(k) savings contributions to fund our government for 2 or 3 weeks, to buy time until the election was over and bring us back up here. As a small business owner, if I do that with my employees' 401(k) plans, I go to the Federal pen. And yet it is my understanding that is how we ran our government in late October and early November of 2004.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I would thank the gentleman from Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, one of the 12 points is to ensure that the Congress reads the bills we are voting on. We cannot pass a law to make Members of Congress read a bill, but several examples have been given this evening of what we are talking about here. Last year, before the election, there were 13 spending bills that had to pass to fund our government. Two were passed before the election. They brought us back up here after the election, saying that they could roll all 11 into one and call it the omnibus spending bill and pass it in 3 or 4 days, and they did. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the majority leader, did. It was over 1,000 pages, over 12,000 local spending projects. We had just a few hours to read it. Sure enough, it was full of errors, including allowing congressional staffers to look at people's tax returns. And so all 435 Members had to fly back up here to fix that, among other things. That is just one of 12 common-sense budget reform steps that we think have to happen before Democrats or Republicans can provide a truthful, meaningful budget again.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, in the hour that we have discussed the debt and the deficit, our Nation has borrowed $48 million. On top of that, our Nation has paid $18 million in interest on the national debt. That is $66 million that our Nation has spent during the 60 minutes we have been here. It is about priorities. That money could have gone for better education, better roads, and better veterans' benefits. Mr. Speaker, I raise these issues because my grandparents left this Nation better than they found it for my parents. And my parents left this Nation better than they found it for our generation, and I believe we have a duty and an obligation to try and leave this country just a little bit better than we found it for our children and grandchildren.

Mr. ROSS. If the gentleman will yield on that, I think it is so important that we do have a rainy day fund. We have had natural disasters every year since I have been here. We either have droughts or floods, and sometimes both depending on where you live; and we have to be there for our farm families if we want to have a safe and reliable source for food and fiber, which I believe is every bit as important to our national security as oil. But what is so important about the need for a rainy day fund, I believe, is it helps stop the deficit spending. You have money set aside in a fund knowing that something is going to happen. And the gentleman raised the issue of the $82 billion supplement. Most folks think that went to support our troops. I supported it, because a large part of it did go to our support our troops. But the reality is during that same week on the floor of the House we did two things: we passed a budget that included $500 million in cuts to farm families in this country, and in the same week we passed $82 billion, and most people think it was all to support our troops. I supported it because part of it was and I support our troops, but what most people do not know is that that bill included a $266 million buyout, you have heard of tobacco buyouts, to do a buyout of opium farmers in Afghanistan. Now if we cannot find Osama bin Laden hiding in the hills over there in Afghanistan, how in the world are we going to police what thousands of Afghan farmers are or are not growing? Just one example of what the gentleman is talking about that goes on that I believe people need to be held accountable for.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, this is important to note, and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) mentioned it earlier this evening, those of us with families, we get around the kitchen table and we have to balance the family budget. My wife and I own a small-town family pharmacy with 12 employees back home. We have to have a balanced budget. Forty-nine States in America, I was in the State Senate in Arkansas for 10 years; 49 States in America require a balanced budget. Is it asking too much of the politicians in Washington to give the citizens of this country a balanced budget? That is what we are talking about doing here.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentleman to continue to join us if he will. The gentleman speaks to us on these veteran issues and these military issues with a lot of authority as a member of the House Committee on Armed Services. And I want to thank the gentleman for what he does for our veterans and our men and women in uniform as we continue to try and advance health insurance around the clock for our men and women in the National Guard and our Reservists. I think what the gentleman from Long Island has basically summed up for us this evening is about priorities. It is about, do we want another $106 billion in tax cuts when we borrow 45 percent of that money from Japan and China and the Caribbean banking centers and Korea and the OPEC nations and Germany and Taiwan and Mexico? Or do we want to do right by our men and women in uniform, by our veterans? Do we want to build the kind of roads we need to create jobs and economic opportunities for the future and do we want to fix Medicare? All this talk about Social Security, if we do not touch it, the first reduction in benefits happens when I am 91 years of age. And yet Medicare, which is what our seniors count on to stay healthy and get well, is bankrupt in 14 years. And yet no one is talking about that. These are priorities that are important to those of us in the Blue Dog Coalition. And we understand that as long as we continue to borrow money from foreign countries, as we continue to borrow money to the tune of $1.1 billion per day, think about that, as a Nation we are spending $1.1 billion a day more than we are taking in. It is about priorities. And until we get our fiscal house in order, we are not going to be able to meet the needs of our children, our grandchildren and the future of this great country. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield at this time to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper), the cochair for policy for the Blue Dog Coalition. I thought we could engage in a colloquy to discussing the 12-point reform plan. We do not just want to beat up the Republicans for bankrupting this country. We want to offer a solution, and we have got one.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Davis). And just to quickly quote, I believe the newspaper there in Tennessee is called The Tennesseean, and on May 9, in an editorial they said this: ``If Members want to get serious about addressing deficits, they should take an approach more like those proposed by the Blue Dog Coalition, which includes Tennessee Democrats John Tanner,'' one of the founders of the Blue Dogs, ``Jim Cooper,'' who has been with us here tonight and will return, ``Lincoln Davis,'' who just spoke, ``and Harold Ford, Jr. The Blue Dogs not only emphasize the need to balance the books, they advocate bringing down the national debt, which has climbed to more than $7 trillion and is becoming a national security issue since much of the debt is in the hands of foreign investors.'' Again, the Tennesseean editorial on Monday, May 9, 2005. As the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Davis) indicated, this is not about partisan politics. I do not know about you, but I am sick and tired of all the partisan bickering that goes on at our Nation's Capital. It should not be about whether it is a Democratic idea or Republican idea. It ought to be about is it a commonsense idea, and does it make sense for the people that sent us here to be their voice and to represent them. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Tennessee joining us tonight as we talk about this huge crisis facing America, the debt and the deficit, and the Blue Dog Coalition's desire to try to restore some common sense and fiscal discipline to our Nation's government. This is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. This is a commonsense issue, and this is about trying to restore some fiscal discipline and common sense to our Nation's government. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the deficit this year, $589 billion, someone the other day asked me, they said, Mike, what is $1 billion? I put that number in my calculator and get that little E at the end. Well, a billion seconds ago, Richard Nixon was President. Mr. Speaker, 6.8 billion seconds ago, President George Washington was sworn into office. A billion minutes ago was just after the time of Christ, and to count out 1 billion nonstop without sleep or eating would take 38\1/2\ years. So we are talking about a number with a lot of zeroes, and we are talking about money that is going down this deep, dark hole to simply pay interest on the national debt due to reckless fiscal policies that could be going to build new elementary schools, to invest in education, to invest in our teachers, to provide our National Guard and Reservists with health insurance, not just during a time of war, but all the time. We could build roads, we could create jobs, we could create economic opportunities in this era where 9 million people are out of work. None of these things are being done because of this horrible, reckless, irresponsible fiscal policy. To talk more about this, a fellow Blue Dog member, another one from Tennessee, Tennessee is full of fiscally conservative Democrats, and that is my colleague, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Davis), and I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this special order.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.