Rick Renzi

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I introduced legislation that honored the lifetime of work and service of a firefighter in Arizona's first congressional district. My legislation, H. Con. Res. 237, will allow the House of Representatives to honor Mr. Rick Lupe for his contributions to the people and the lands of the surrounding communities of rural Arizona. Mr. Lupe was a forestry technician who worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for many years. His work with the BIA's Fort Apache Agency was both impressive and memorable for all those who came in contact with him. Moreover, he was able to touch the lives of many more who never had the chance to meet or thank this individual for his efforts. Those living in my district know Mr. Lupe from his work in saving communities like Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, McNary, as well as Hondah Homesites from the destruction of the Rodeo-Chediski fire. Under Mr. Lupe's great leadership, firefighters created a back-burn that stopped the fire line at Hop Canyon so that the fire did not cross a major interstate, protecting numerous homes and valuable lives. Our country tragically lost Rick Lupe on Thursday June 19, 2003, after he survived for 5 weeks in a burn unit from wounds sustained in a prescribed fire in May of this year. Mr. Lupe is remembered as a man who was a shining example of a firefighter. He took pride in his work and even more pride in his family. Mr. Lupe left behind a wonderful wife of 21 years, Evelyn, and three sons, Sean, Daniel, and Brent. This resolution states that we in Congress should recognize and honor Rick Lupe for his immense contributions on behalf of thousands living in Arizona. Given the fires that recently raged across Southern California and the over 11,000 firefighters that battle the blazes, we should never forget how many men and women are putting their lives on the line in the same manner that Mr. Lupe did for decades. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution honoring Rick Lupe. I look forward to the support of Members of both sides of the aisle with regard to H. Con. Res. 237 and its consideration today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 237) honoring the late Rick Lupe, lead forestry technician for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Fort Apache Agency, for his dedication and service to the United States and for his essential service in fighting wildfires and protecting the environment and communities of Arizona.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2766) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange certain lands in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, as amended.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, today the House is considering H.R. 3365, the Fallen Patriots Tax Relief Act. I am moved by the bipartisanship that has carried this bill through the House. The outstanding leadership of my colleagues, Mr. Jones of South Carolina and Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts, illustrates the dedication of this Congress to support service members and their families who have sacrificed so much for this great country. In addition, I want to thank the gentlemen for their guidance on this bill and for their eager cooperation in drafting H.R. 3365. This legislation will increase the death gratuity payment to $12,000 and will return the payment to its historical tax-exempt status. This payment must remain a gift to surviving families as a gesture of a grateful nation that dignifies their ultimate sacrifice of their loved ones. At a time when our nation is sending its sons and daughters to war, it is unconscionable to ask their families to shoulder a tax burden on a gift of thanks intended to be free from taxation. It is because of three of my constituents who gave their lives to defend our freedom that I became involved with this legislation. Spencer Karol, from Holbrook, Arizona, was a 20-year-old Army Specialist with the 165th Military Intelligence Battalion. He enlisted in the Army with two friends and was sent to Iraq. Specialist Karol died when his vehicle was hit by an explosive device on patrol at Ar Ramadi looking for enemy combatants on October 6, 2003. This legislation would give Specialist Karol's mother the ability to meet the funeral expenses of burying her eldest son. Specialist Lori Piestewa, was assigned to the 507th Maintenance Division, and was the first Native American woman killed in action. Under current law, Lori's family must pay taxes on the death benefit they have received. This legislation will correct this injustice. Alyssa Peterson, a 27-year-old Army Specialist, was an athlete and graduated at the top of her class. She was fluent in several languages and gracious to her family and friends. I would like to share with you an essay that this precocious young woman wrote when she was a fifth grade student at Sechrist Middle School, in Flagstaff Arizona. She wrote: What is an American Patriot? I believe that an American Patriot can be anyone who lives in America. I think that no matter what anyone does with their time, they can be a patriot each day. To be a patriot you need to be a loyal American. You need to stand up for what is right. You need to be the best person you can be. A patriot needs to help America be a better place to live. Cleaning up litter is being patriotic. Obeying traffic rules is being patriotic. Helping our neighbors and giving of ourselves is being patriotic. Participating in your school activities is being patriotic, just like adults participating in voting for our government leaders and laws is patriotic. A patriot obeys all the laws of the land. Patriotism is an attitude which shows up in our everyday actions. No one needs to wait to be a patriot. I commend Alyssa's words to your attention. It is now time to pass this necessary legislation and pay proper tribute to those who have served our nation.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by recognizing the steadfast leadership provided by my colleagues, especially the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) who has fought for this legislation, for this issue, for over 2 years, as well as the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), who without their original initiatives, the Fallen Patriots Tax Relief Act would not have become a reality and gained such bipartisan support. In addition, I want to thank them for their guidance on this bill and their strong cooperation in drafting this legislation. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3365, the Fallen Patriots Tax Relief Act of 2003, addresses the death gratuity paid to a survivor of a military member of the United States, which historically has been exempt from taxation. An oversight in the Tax Code after gratuity was increased to $6,000 left half of this payment subject to taxation. The benefit was designed to assist survivors of deceased members of the military with their financial needs during the period following the soldier's death and before other survivor benefits become available. The first section of this legislation raises the death gratuity payment to $12,000. This increase has already been funded in the Defense Appropriations Act recently signed into law. The second section of this bill amends the U.S. Tax Code to restore the payment to its historical full tax exempt status. This provision applies to deaths occurring on or after September 11, 2001, in order to provide for the families of those military personnel who lost their lives at the onset of the war on terrorism. At a time when our Nation's sons and daughters and their families are making great sacrifices on behalf of this Nation, it is unconscionable to ask them to shoulder a tax burden on a gift intended to be free from taxation. What is most important to remember when considering this significant legislation is that this bill will help families with the loss of their loved ones; the death gratuity payment must remain as a gift to the surviving family as a gesture of a grateful Nation and be done in a manner which dignifies their ultimate sacrifice. The bipartisan support on this legislation shows that Congress recognizes the sacrifices made by these men and women of our Armed Forces against the war on terror. What motivated me to become involved are three of our fallen patriots from my district in rural Arizona. The first was Spencer Karol, a 20- year-old Army Specialist with the 165th Military Intelligence Battalion from Holbrook, Arizona. Spencer was raised in California until his family moved to Holbrook while he was a junior in high school. He graduated from Holbrook High in 2001 and signed up with the Army with two of his friends. They were sent to Iraq this year. Specialist Karol's mother, Bridget, a single mother, depended on her son for assistance, and he did so willingly. She said, ``He helped me with his younger brothers. I, being a single mother, needed help on our ranch fixing roofs, putting up fences, clearing brush, with the livestock and he did all of it on his own without ever having to be told.'' When he was not helping his mother in caring for his little brothers he was involved in community service activities that included helping the Hashknife Sheriff's Posse. His mom said he was also good with computers and worked a short time in the Navajo County Assessor's Office before going off to boot camp. She said he liked music and that Spencer was a gentleman. He liked to play the guitar and piano and was loved by his family and community. Specialist Karol died when his vehicle was hit by an explosive device on patrol while looking for enemy combats on October 6, 2003, at Ar Ramadi, Iraq. This legislation gives Spencer Karol's mother the ability to cover the funeral expenses to bury her son. Secondly, Private Lori Piestewa of the much-publicized 507th Maintenance Division was the first Native American woman on record known to be killed in action in our Nation's history. As a testament to her proud Hopi Indian warrior tradition, Lori went back into the thick of battle outside of An Nasirah, Iraq, to help her fellow soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch, escape an Iraqi ambush. Lori was a 23- year-old single mother of two. She has a mountain and freeway named after her in Arizona, but her family still pays taxes on the payment they received from Lori's sacrifice. This legislation corrects this injustice and gives her children added support. Finally, 27-year-old Army Specialist Alyssa Peterson was a great athlete and graduated at the top of her class. She was good with languages and gracious to her family and friends. I would like to share with you an essay that this bright, energetic young woman wrote when she was in fifth grade as a student at Sechrist Middle School in Flagstaff, Arizona. Alyssa wrote, ``What is an American patriot? I believe an American patriot can be anyone who lives in America. I think that no matter what anyone does with their time, they can be a patriot each day. To be a patriot you need to be a loyal American. You need to stand up for what is right. You need to be the best person you can be. A patriot needs to help America be a better place to live. Cleaning up litter is being patriotic. Obeying traffic rules is being patriotic. Helping our neighbors and giving of ourselves is being patriotic. Participating in your school activities is being patriotic, just like adults participate in voting for our government leaders and laws is patriotic. A patriot obeys all the laws of the land. Patriotism is an attitude which shows up every day in our actions. No one needs to wait to be a patriot.'' Let us all reflect on Alyssa's words by not waiting any longer to pass the Fallen Patriots Tax Relief Act of 2003 and give proper tribute and honor to those who have given their all.

Mr. RENZI

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

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker), the author of this bill.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 542) to repeal the reservation of mineral rights made by the United States when certain lands in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, were conveyed by Public Law 102-562.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 542, introduced by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker), would give private citizens in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, mineral rights that have been rightfully theirs for generations. The 640 acres of land in question were held in private ownership when the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803; but due to poor recordkeeping by French colonial authorities, the Federal Government ultimately came into possession of the title to this property. The citizens who rightfully held the land remained on the land for nearly 2 centuries. In 1825, an order of survey was signed by a Federal agent asserting the landowner's claim to the land, but those documents were never filed in Washington. Again, in 1875 the owners' claim was acknowledged but a land patent was never issued. Finally, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Federal Government surveyed the inventory of Louisiana properties and discovered that no patent had been issued for the Livingston Parish properties in question. While some legislative attempts were made, it was not until 1992 that the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker) and Senator J. Bennett Johnston passed legislation that conveyed the surface rights of the land to its rightful owners. That bill did not convey the mineral rights to the private owners. Historical precedent, however, shows that the mineral rights should have been conveyed to them at the time, since private landholders in the Louisiana Purchase territory were given title to both surface and subsurface property rights. Because the Federal Government was never actually entitled to the 640 acres in Livingston Parish, the mineral rights should be conveyed to the rightful and patient owners of this property. Incidentally, there is currently no oil and gas development on these lands and the U.S. Geological Survey reports potential for only marginal minerals production. H.R. 542 conveys these property owners their mineral rights and corrects a 200-year-old bureaucratic error. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bills, H.R. 1446, H.R. 542, and H.R. 2048.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1446) to support the efforts of the California Missions Foundation to restore and repair the Spanish colonial and mission-era missions in the State of California and to preserve the artworks and artifacts of those missions, and for other purposes.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1446, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make matching grants to the California Missions Foundation to support the efforts of the foundation to restore and repair the California missions and to preserve the artworks and artifacts associated with the California missions. Currently, the 21 California missions of the El Camino Real, or Royal Highway, have had to rely on nominal entrance fees, sales from gift shops, donations and special events to cover their operating expenses. Unfortunately, these sources of income have not been enough to keep up with the increasing structural needs of these aging missions that date back all the way to 1769, when Father Serra founded Alta California, the first Spanish mission in California. Today over 5 million people annually visit the mission system, and it is obvious to many that outside financial help is needed. The California Missions Foundation, a charitable corporation established in California in 1998, is dedicated to raising funds for the ongoing preservation, restoration, and maintenance needs of the California missions to ensure that their historical legacy is kept alive for future generations. As a condition of a grant, the foundation must submit to the Secretary an annual report on the status of the preservation efforts. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1446. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2048) to extend the period for reimbursement under the Fishermen's Protective Act of 1967, and to reauthorize the Yukon River Restoration and Enhancement Fund, as amended.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2048 reauthorizes two important laws dealing with international fisheries: the Fishermen's Protective Act and the Yukon River Salmon Act. At the hearing the Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee held on May 22, 2003, we heard from the Departments of State, Interior, and Commerce on the significance of these two laws. Without going into any of the details about the successes of these two laws, let me state that reauthorizing these laws will provide Federal assistance to important conservation work being done on the shared salmon stocks of the Yukon River. Without a new agreement on the shared Yukon River stocks, we are not able to work together with Canada on research, restoration, and management of these unique salmon stocks. In addition, this legislation will continue an important self-funded insurance program for U.S. fishermen who fish outside of U.S. waters as well as maintain a critical provision in the Fishermen's Protective Act that allows the United States to take action against nations that are not in compliance with international fishery conservation and management agreements. At a time when there has been much media attention on the status of our marine fisheries and in particular those large, highly-migratory species, the Pelly Amendment allows the United States to hold our trading partners accountable if they are not in compliance with internationally-agreed-upon management regimes. This legislation is a critical component to continuing the process we are making on sustainable international fishery agreements, and I urge Members to support this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2048. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of time.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 25 years of prayer, compassion, and leadership of the man of prayer, Pope John Paul II. What a beautiful legacy and example Pope John Paul has shown in his deep belief in God, in the knowledge that God created us to be men and women of labor and love. His Holiness has become an inspirational light to the world, and has stood as a beacon of fight between good and evil. A man whose intellect and spirit is delivered to others within a warm conviction to consistently show love from his big Polish heart. This good and humble man has taught us to carve out our faith through prayer, a prayer in a deep, pure and humble manner, from the dirt of the earth, through each fiber of our being, always extolling the virtues of truth, forgiveness and compassion toward every living soul. His life demonstrates that prayer is a means of learning, growth and understanding, always to continually be drawn to his knees, persevering each day in strong heartfelt prayer. This simple man of prayer, of discipline, has been a Godsend these last 25 years, and in God's mercy, I hope he sees fit to relieve John Paul of some of the burden as he continues to travel along the trying road of life, leading people to God. Thank you, John Paul II, for the exceptional service to mankind you have given, and for being such a beautiful man of prayer.

Mr. RENZI

Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Adoption Caucus, I rise in support of the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003, H.R. 3182, to continue rewarding States for their efforts to promote adoption of children in need of loving families. Since 1997, the number of children adopted from foster care has increased 64 percent. I am happy that States have made substantial progress in finding safe, permanent homes for kids. However, many older children still linger in foster care, and this bill will assist States to find adoptive families for these children. Approximately 126,000 children currently are awaiting adoption, half of whom are age nine or older. The Adoption Promotion Act of 2003 enhances the current incentive program, which rewards States that make gains in the number of children adopted, by creating a new incentive for States that increase adoptions of children age 9 or older. This change reflects a proposal outlined by the Bush Administration.