Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, today I ask all members of the House to join me in honoring the Missouri State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (MSSDAR) as they celebrate a ``Century of Service'' at their 100th State Conference on March 12-14, 1999. The century celebration will feature remembrances of ten decades of conference highlights, recognition of this year's Outstanding State History Teacher, and the presentation of scholarships and awards to exemplary Missouri students. The first state conference was held in a stately St. Louis home on November 15, 1899 with eight members in attendance. Today, the MSSDAR, founded in 1894 in Kansas City, has over 5,500 members in 116 Chapters throughout the state dedicated to historic preservation, promotion of education and patriotic endeavor. Additionally, they play a leadership role in helping inform its members and the general public about the need for a strong national defense. The MSSDAR is affiliated with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Incorporated by an Act of Congress in 1896, the NSDAR is a non-profit, non-political, volunteer service organization with nearly 180,000 women in some 3,000 chapters in each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Japan. The Society was founded in Washington, D.C. on October 11, 1890, and has celebrated more than 100 years of service to the nation. Mr. Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to the Missouri State Society Daughters of the American Revolution as they celebrate their ``Century of Service.''

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Harvey Williams of Versailles, MO, was selected by the Versailles Chamber of Commerce as the 1999 Citizen of the Year. Williams was chosen for his various generous contributions to the community. He has been president of the Versailles Area Chamber of Commerce and served on the chamber board. He was instrumental in bringing Gates Rubber Company and Wal-Mart into Versailles. He has been president of the Morgan County Fair Board and held several other offices while an active member of the Versailles Lions Club. He has also served on the Olde Tyme Apple Festival organizing committee, and was instrumental in incorporating the Royal Theater. He still serves on the Royal Theater Board of Directors. Williams is a former chairman of the Morgan County Health Center Board of Directors and has spoken on behalf of the local cancer society on cancer survival from personal experience as a cancer survivor. Williams is Vice-President of Mercantile Bank, and he and his wife are owners of Harvest Designs in Versailles. I wish to extend my congratulations to Mr. Williams for his well deserved award as the Versailles Chamber of Commerce's 1999 Citizen of the Year.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that a distinguished government career is coming to an end in Missouri. The Honorable Eugene Hollis, Maries County Collector, is retiring after serving the citizens of Maries County for 52 years. Mr. Hollis served in the Navy during World War II, where he performed as a landing boat coxswain in the Pacific campaign. The highlight of his military service was leading the landing boats during the amphibious assault against Okinawa. After the war, Mr. Hollis returned to Missouri. He was elected Maries County Treasurer in 1946, and served in that post until 1954. Mr. Hollis was elected Maries County Collector in 1954, serving from January 1, 1955 until his retirement on March 1, 1999. Mr. Hollis married the former Lucille Woody on August 2, 1947. Mrs. Hollis was instrumental to Eugene's success in elected office with her active participation in his election campaign, service as a democratic committee member, and her involvement in civic organizations. Mr. Hollis also serves his community during his free hours. He remains active in the VFW and the American Legion, an organization he has been a member of for over 50 years. He is a past President of the Maries County Fair Board, which he currently serves as gate chairman. Mr. Hollis is also the past President of the Missouri Collectors Association and a member of the Legislature Co-Chairman Collectors Association. Mr. Speaker, Eugene Hollis served the people of Maries County for 52 years with pride and integrity. I know the Members of the House will join me in extending our heartfelt gratitude and best wishes in the years ahead to Eugene and his family.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, on January 27, 1999, I had the privilege to address all of America's National Guard Adjutants General here in Washington. I spoke about the need for America to stay engaged in the world. My speech to that group is set forth as follows: International Engagement--Why We Need to Stay the Course It has been more than ten years since the fall of 1988, when the communist government of Poland agreed, under great popular pressure, to permit free elections--elections which ultimately led to the ``velvet revolution'' throughout Eastern Europe. It has been nine years since the historic fall of 1989, when the border between Hungary and Western Europe opened, and thousands of East Europeans first swept aside the Iron Curtain and then brought it crashing down. It has been eight years since the two Germanies agreed to reunification, and seven years since the Soviet Union disintegrated. For the United States, the events of a decade ago were the beginning of the end of long struggle--a struggle that was characterized by terrible sacrifices in Korea and Vietnam; by periods of great national confidence and occasional episodes of uncertainty; by debates in the halls of Congress that were sometimes historic and solemn and sometimes partisan and shrill; and, above all, by a widely shared sense of national purpose that endured despite occasionally bitter internal divisions. The constancy with which the United States carried out its global responsibilities over the long course of the Cold War is a great testimony to the character of the American people and to the quality of the leaders who guided the nation through often trying times. In spite of the costs, in the face of great uncertainties, and despite grave distractions, our nation showed the ability to persevere. In doing so, we answered the great question about America that Winston Churchill once famously posed--``Will you stay the course?'' he asked, ``Will you stay the course?'' The answer is, we did. Today, I think we need to raise a similar question once again, but this time for ourselves and in a somewhat different form. Churchill's question, ``Will you stay the course?'' implied that there might some day be an end to the struggle, as there was, indeed, to the Cold War, though no one foresaw when and how it would come. Today the key question is perhaps more challenging, because it is more open-ended. It is ``Will we stay engaged?'' The term ``engagement,'' to be sure, has not yet captured as broad a range of support among political leaders and the public as those who coined it, early in the Clinton Administration, evidently hope it would. But neither did the notion of ``containment'' capture broad public support until several years after it was articulated during the Truman Administration. Indeed, some political leaders who later championed containment as the linchpin of our security initially criticized the notion as too passive and even timid. ``Engagement,'' while not yet widely embraced as a characterization of our basic global posture, seems to me to express quite well what we need to be about today--that we need to be engaged in the world, and that we need to be engaged with other nations in building and maintaining a stable international security system. Engagement will not be easy to sustain. Indeed, as has become clear in recent years, it will be as challenging to the United States to remain fully engaged today as it was to stay the course during the Cold War. We now know much more about the shape of today's era than we did eight or four or even two years ago. We know that we have not reached the end of history. We know that we face challenges to our security that in some ways are more daunting than those we faced during the Cold War. We know that it will often be difficult to reach domestic agreement on foreign affairs because legitimate, deeply held values will often be hard to reconcile. We know that we will have to risk grave dangers and pay a price to carry out our responsibilities, and because of the costs, it will sometimes be tempting to think that we would be more secure if we were more insulated from turmoil abroad. We know that we will have to struggle mightily not to allow domestic travails to divert us from the tasks that we must consistently pursue. But we also know that our political system, which encourages open debate, and which constantly challenges leaders to rise to the demands of the times, gives us the opportunity, if we are thoughtful and serious about our responsibilities, to see where our interests lie and to pursue our values effectively. Today I want to say a few things about engagement in the world--why it may sometimes be difficult to sustain; why it is nonetheless necessary; and, finally, how it has succeeded in bolstering our security. Why Engagement is Difficult Engagement is difficult, first of all, because it entails costs and carries risks. Provocations by Saddam Hussein and terrorist attacks in Africa will not be the end of our struggle. In an age of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons of mass destruction, the United States faces particularly grave dangers in its conflict with these forces. To quail in the face of these risks would, I think, be far more damaging to our security than to confront them--but we should not underestimate the dangers we face. Engagement is also difficult because it requires us to make policy choices in which values we hold dear are troubling to reconcile. The debates in Congress over policy toward China illustrate this point forcefully. All of us find China's human rights abuses to be abhorrent. For my part, I believe that U.S. security interests are well served when we stand up for human rights. Tyranny has crumbled all over the globe in large part because of our active commitment to human rights and because we hold out an example of freedom that millions all over the world hope to emulate. On the other hand, a policy of isolating China would be self-defeating. The United States and China have interests in common--stability in Asia; preventing war in Korea; and halting weapons proliferation, to name just a few. Constructive engagement with China, therefore, requires that we reconcile our deeply held convictions about what is right with our national interests. Engagement with long-standing allies may also be turbulent at times. Many, if not most, of our allies have not, for example, wholeheartedly supported our efforts to enforce sanctions on nations that we believe guilty of sponsoring international terrorism or that we see as threats to the peace. A related difficulty of engagement is what might be called the paradox of burdensharing--getting the allies to do more often requires that we do more as well. Engagement is difficult, therefore, because it means that we will sometimes become embroiled in undertakings overseas that, on the face of it, cost us more than our immediate interests appear to justify. The obvious example is Bosnia. The reason we must, nonetheless, be engaged, is that our overarching interest in building effective security cooperation with our allies requires that we exercise leadership. Engagement is also difficult for domestic political reasons. To be blunt, no one gets elected by promising to devote a great deal of time and attention to foreign affairs. Those in positions of responsibility must make compromises, choose between alternatives that are often bad and less bad, take risks to get things done, and bear the criticism when initiatives fail. Finally, engagement is difficult because it is financially expensive. In recent years, it has been difficult to find the resources to meet obvious needs in defense and foreign affairs because of pressures to reduce the budget deficit. Now that the deficit has been brought under control, a part of the discussion of budget priorities ought to be how to restore a reasonable level of investment in meeting our international security requirements. Why Engagement is Necessary Despite these difficulties, I believe that there is no alternative to continued, active U.S. engagement in the world. We persevered in the Cold War precisely because we felt it our responsibility as a nation to defend against tyranny. In the name of that moral mission, we may sometimes have asked too much of ourselves, and particularly of our young sons and daughters in the military--but it was nonetheless a goal worthy of our people. Now we have a very different moral responsibility before us, which may be somewhat more difficult to express, but which I think is equally important. As I see it, our responsibility now is to use our unchallenged position of global leadership in a fashion that will make the universal hope for peace, prosperity, and freedom as much as possible into the norm of international behavior. If the United States were not to try, at least, to use our current position of strength to help construct an era of relative peace and stability, it would be a moral failure of historic magnitude. More than that, to fail to exercise our strength in a fashion that builds global cooperation would also, in the long run, leave us weaker and more vulnerable to dangers from abroad. We need to be engaged because only the United States can provide the leadership necessary to respond to global and regional challenges to stability and only the United States can foster the growth of regional security structures that will prevent future challenges from arising. We need to be engaged because our continued presence gives other nations confidence in our power and in our reliability and makes us the ally of choice if and when conflicts arise. We need to be engaged because only by actively shaping effective regional security systems can we create an environment in which nations that might otherwise challenge stability will instead perceive a community of interests with the United States and with our regional allies. We need to be engaged because only by recognizing and responding to the security concerns of other nations can we export them to support our security interests and concerns. We need to be engaged because cooperation from other nations is essential to deter and defeat enemies who want to undermine global order. Not everyone agrees on the necessity for engagement. Some traditional champions of a strong national defense still complain that the demands of engagement appear to divert attention away from our real national security interests. Engagement, they argue, embroils us in regional conflicts that seem remote. It appears to put too much emphasis on peacekeeping or humanitarian missions that are costly and that are not obviously directly related to the overriding responsibility of U.S. military forces--to prepare for major conflicts. For others, who believe the world ought to be more peaceful and less militarized since the end of the Cold War, engagement has seemed to require too much U.S. military involvement in distant parts of the globe. It appears to justify military and other ties with regimes that are distasteful or worse. It seems to emphasize security matters at the expense of other interests--such as human rights, fair trade practices, or environmental protection. It appears to some, even, to be a questionable rationale for continued high military spending in a world with no direct, obvious threats. In my opinion, those who see themselves as proponents of a strong national defense and as advocates of assertive American power should reconsider their position in view of the compelling evidence that engagement is essential to our military security. Similarly, those who believe that conflicts can be prevented by promoting multilateral cooperation should understand that military engagement abroad is essential to build and enforce a more peaceful, cooperative world order in which our other interests and values can flourish. Two points must be made--first, it is a fact that smaller- scale operations demand more resources than military planners had assumed. The answer is not to forswear such operations, which I don't believe we can do, but rather to acknowledge the resource demands and meet those requirements. Second, it is important to be selective in making commitments and in using the military--above all, we need to ensure a balance between the interests we have at stake and the commitments we are making. Effective international engagement requires much more active and extensive U.S. military involvement abroad than many expected. In the wake of the Cold War, we decided to maintain a permanent military presence of about 100,000 troops both in Europe and in Asia. These deployments, in retrospect, hardly appear excessive. On the contrary, our forces in Europe, if anything, have been badly overworked. They have been involved in countless joint exercises with old and new allies and with former enemies that have been critically important in building a new, cooperative security order in Europe. Engagement has also entailed a constant, rotational presence in the Persian Gulf--a commitment which, we now should recognize, is on a par with the commitments we have maintained in Europe and the Far East. It has involved military intervention in Haiti, an ongoing peacekeeping operation in Bosnia, and literally dozens of smaller-scale military operations. One thing should be clear--as long as we are actively engaged abroad, the pace of military operations is likely to be much more demanding than any of us had imagined a few years ago. As you know better than anyone, engagement on this level would not be possible without our Reserve Component Forces. As part of our ``Total Force'' concept, the Guard and Reserve are indispensable to U.S. military operations. Just look at the role our Reserve Component Forces have played in Bosnia. Since December 1995, over 16,000 Guard and Reserve personnel have supported Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Joint Guard, and now Operation Joint Forge from bases in Bosnia, Croatia, the U.S., Hungary, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere in Europe. Reservists have performed combat and combat support missions including artillery fire support, civil affairs, logistics, public affairs, medical support, and other critical functions. Since the end of the Cold War, significant reductions in the size of U.S. Active Forces has resulted in an increased reliance on Reserve Component Forces. Today, 54 percent of the U.S. Army is in the Reserve Component. Our Guard and Reserve are essential to the success of nearly every military operation during peace and war. Changing a stereotype is sometimes difficult, but let me try: You are no longer the ``Weekend Warriors'', you are the ``Seven-Day-a-Week, 365- Day-a-Year Warriors''. I, for one, appreciate what you do for our nation. You, and those who serve under you, have my respect and admiration. Engagement Has Succeeded The final point I want to make--and perhaps the most important thing we need to keep in mind--is that the U.S. policy of engagement has been a success. Yes, we have suffered some failures. No, we have not accomplished everything we might have hoped. Yes, we have made some mistakes. But failures, shortcomings, and mistakes are inevitable in international affairs--there has never been a government in history that has not run into such difficulties. Engagement is as centrally important to our security--and to the prospects for peace in the world--as containment was during the Cold War. Perhaps above all, the key issue is whether we will persist despite the fact that the struggle to maintain relative international peace will never be concluded. This is not a struggle we can see through to the end--it is, nonetheless, an effort that we as a nation must continue to make.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, January 13, 1999, the State of Missouri lost a distinguished citizen. It is with great sadness that I inform the House of the death of George Monroe Allen of Harrisonville, MO. Mr. Allen worked in the banking industry for 49 years. He served 21 years as president of the Citizens National Bank and then at the Commerce Bank of Harrisonville until his retirement in 1976. After his retirement Mr. Allen was elected State Representative of the 124th District of Missouri and served there until 1986. He also served with the Harrisonville Fire Department for 55 years, including 33 years as fire chief. An Army veteran, Mr. Allen served his country with distinction during World War II, earning the Bronze Star for Valor. Mr. Allen was an active member of the community. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, member and past commander of both the VFW Post #4409 and the American Legion Post #42, Cass Masonic Lodge #147 A.F.&A.M., past president and member of the Kiwanis Club, Harrisonville Civic Association, and the Harrisonville Area Chamber of Commerce. I know the Members of the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences to his wife, Kathleen; his son, Nelson; his daughters, Linda and Trudy; his three grandchildren; and his great-grandson.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Elvis J. Stahr, Jr., governor emeritus of the Sigma Chi Foundation, scholar, war veteran, attorney, and public servant, passed away on November 11 after a battle with cancer. He was 82. Stahr earned 4 years of straight A's as an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky (UK), was named a Rhodes Scholar, then studied at Oxford University for three years. He returned to the United States briefly before serving in the U.S. Army infantry in North Africa, India, and China during World War II. After serving in the Army, he practiced law for eight years and served as Grand Praetor for the Eastern province. After serving as dean of the UK law school and university provost, Stahr was appointed as special assistant to the Secretary of the Army during the Korean war, and in 1956-57, he was executive director of President Eisenhower's committee on education beyond high school. Stahr became vice chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh in early 1957, and in August 1958 he was named president of West Virginia University. In 1961, President Kennedy appointed him Secretary of the Army, a post in which he served until the summer of 1962 when he resigned to become the 12th president of Indiana University. In 1968, the Audubon Society named Stahr its president, a position he maintained until 1979. After stepping down from the Audubon presidency, he served on several boards and committees, including those for the Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Company, the Chase Manhattan Bank, the Committee on the Constitutional System, and the Washington Conservation Round Table, of which he also served as chairman. He also continued to practice law in Washington, DC. Stahr is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dorothy Howland Berkfield Stahr, three children and two grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, Elvis J. Stahr, Jr's, contributions to his family, his country, and his fraternity make him a role model for young civic leaders. I am certain that the Members of the House will join me in honoring this fine American.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to say a few words in tribute to the late Brigadier General (Retired) Ben J. Mangina, USAF, of Windsor, Missouri. General Mangina, a loyal and dedicated airman and a good friend of mine through the years, passed away at the age of 78. General Mangina, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, was born the son of Joseph and Josephine Amari Mangina. He was the commander of several Air Force bases, including Richard-Gebauer Air Force Base. There he commanded the 442nd fighter wing. General Mangina was also active in the community. He was a member and deacon of First Baptist Church along with many other civic organizations. General Mangina is survived by his wife, Ethel Mae; his daughter, Rose; his son, Ben; two stepsons, Ken and Don; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, Ben Mangina was a dedicated airmen and a true friend. I am certain that the members of the House will join me in paying tribute to this fine Missourian.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the House of the death of Reverend David Lee Brent of Jefferson City, Missouri. Reverend Brent was born on June 27, 1929, in Forest City, Arkansas, the son of Will B. and Annie Mae Foreman Brent. A 1946 graduate of Benton Harbor High School, he graduated form Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, in 1957. He received his master's degree and a doctor of theology degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Georgia. Reverend Brent served on the St. Louis Council on Human Rights, served several churches in Missouri, was co-paster of Second Christian Church, Jefferson City, MO, and was a licensed insurance agent. He was the chief human relations officer for the Missouri Department of Mental Health of 28 years. Reverend Brent was a leader in the community, in his church, and in the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Two years ago, he became the president of the NAACP in Jefferson City. Shortly after taking the helm, he was instrumental in the formation of a city task force to study racial tensions in the public schools. Reverend Brent was the co-founder of Christians United for Racial Equality and the Black Ministerial Alliance. Reverend Brent was also a member of Tony Jenkins American Legion Post 231. I know the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences to his family: his wife, Estella; his two sons, five daughters, one brother, three sisters, six grandchildren, and three great- grandchildren.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, under the Constitution, the Congress of the United States is responsible for the national security of our country. The first priority for 1999 should be to make this the year of the troops. The service chiefs several days ago testified before the Committee on Armed Services on which I serve that their troops are the most important part of the military that is in need. Problems are there that must be addressed. The first problem is that of retention, retaining the capable and bright young people in our military forces, whether it be the Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force. We are having trouble retaining mid-career officers. We are having trouble retaining noncommissioned officers and those with critical skills, pilots, airplane mechanics, those that are skilled with computers and information systems. Another problem is that of recruiting, causing young people to want to join the services. All four of the services are having difficulty with recruiting. All of the services, with exception of the Marine Corps are not meeting their goals. The Army will have a shortfall of some 3,000, maybe even as high as 6,000 people in their recruiting goals. The Navy could be as many as 4,000 short. The Air Force plans to buy television ads for the first time. If retention and recruiting are not improved, the services will be unable to make the end strengths, that is the numbers that are allocated by law, which by the way are already too low. For example, the Army ended 1998, fiscal year, approximately 4,000 people under strength. All of this leads to a readiness problem, whether the forces are ready to perform their job at the highest level that the American people expect of them. The readiness problem deals with the services, high operations Tempo, and a shortage of spare parts that contribute to the reduction in this readiness. In addition, the operational Tempo, that is being gone so much, puts a strain on families; and the spare parts shortage adds to job dissatisfaction. Both in turn contribute to the problems of recruiting and retention. The Department of Defense proposal for military pay retirement is a good first step. I compliment the Secretary of Defense and those that have studied this issue on that initiative. There is a pay triad that has three aspects that we need to look at regarding paying the young people who serve and those who serve for a career. First is the across-the-board pay increase for all service members, 4.4 percent, effective January 1 of the year 2000, with additional raises programed for the year 2001 and 2005. The second part of this triad is the pay table reform, additional raises to better reward performance by compensating service members for skills and education and years of experience. Then there is the reform of the retirement system, a return to the 20-year retirement to 50 percent of the basic pay. Congress can do these things, but we can and, frankly, we should do more. It was General Hughes Shelton, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who testified several days ago and said, ``You can't pay our troops too much, but you can pay them too little.'' We should consider a Military Thrift Savings Plan- which many corporations afford their employees. We need to take better care of the families by better family housing and improving their medical care, making sure that TriCare works the way we intend it to work, make sure that they have better barracks for those who are single and do not have families. We should ensure that the people in the military do not get left behind in the booming economy that we have, or else they tend to leave the military behind. We have a highly capable military force, I think the finest our Nation has ever had. But the key, of course, is the people, qualified, motivated, intelligent, hardworking people of whom we are so proud. We need to keep and attract quality people, to train them, and ensure that their morale remains high. It will require a multiyear effort. Mr. Speaker, we should begin that effort now by making the year 1999 the year of the troops.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Delbert Best, track coach for the last 24 years at Wellington-Napoleon High School, and athletic director for the past 18 years, was inducted into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. During his career at Wellington-Napoleon High School, Best's track teams won nine boys and one girls 1-70 Conference championships and six boys District championships. His boys teams placed first at the Missouri state finals in 1985, 1987, and 1991; second at state in 1986 and 1983 and third at state in 1992, and 1996. The girls team were second at the state championships in 1993 and third 1992. Best was selected 1A boys Coach of the Year once by his coaching peers. In 1994 he was selected as Region 5 National Coach of the Year. I wish to extend my congratulations to Coach Best for his most deserved induction into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the House of the death of Victor M. Gray of California, Missouri. Victor Gray was born July 15, 1912, in Hendrick, IL, a son of Homer F. and Anna Burrus Gray. He was a graduate of the University of Missouri, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1937. Gray's career in public service and agriculture began immediately after his graduation from the University of Missouri. From 1937 to 1948 he worked for the Agricultural Extension Service. After his initial service to the state of Missouri, Gray worked in the private sector, owning and operating a farm machinery company for two years. Victor Gray was a livestock marketing specialist with the Producer's Livestock Marketing Association-National Stockyard, Illinois, and manager of the Farm Bureau Service Co. from 1953 to 1957. He served as director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Feed and Seed Division in 1957 and, in 1959, became the Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture's Feed and Seed Division in 1957 and, in 1959, became the Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture until 1963. He was the director of legislative programs for Missouri Farm Bureau from November 1963 until he retired in August 1977. Victor Gray served as the executive secretary of the Missouri Association of Fairs and was a member of the Board of Governors of the American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City, Mo. He was the past President of American Lung Association-Western Division; past chairman of the County Soil and Water Conservation Districts; former vice president of the County Farm Bureau; and former chairman of the Missouri Hazardous Waste Committee. He served as district representative of the Missouri Farm Bureau Rural Health and Safety Committee. Victor Gray was an active member in the community. A member of the Gamma Sigma Delta agricultural fraternity, he received the Award of Merit from the society's Missouri chapter and the State Star Farmer Award from the Missouri FFA. He was a 50-year member of the California Lodge 183, A.F. & A.M., and the Royal Arch Masons Chapter in California. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of California. Gray was preceded in death by his wife, Anna in 1991. He is survived by his niece, Sandra Gray Dietzel; three great-nieces, two great-great nieces and three great-great nephews. I know that this body joins me in expressing sympathy to the family of this great Missourian.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to Dr. Ed Elliott, who is retiring from his post as President of Central Missouri State University (CMSU), Warrensburg, MO, after serving there for nearly fourteen years. During Dr. Elliott's tenure at CMSU, the University has seen tremendous growth in enrollment due to Ed's insightful university policies. There has been an expansion of the school's international and distance learning programs, increased admissions standards, a new general studies program, an emphasis in strategic planning and collegial governance, and an integration of a new teaching-learning- assessment model known as Continuous Process Improvement. In addition, numerous building renovations and new construction projects, including the James C. Kirkpatrick Library that will be dedicated in March, have added to student interest in CMSU. Under Ed's leadership, the University has received dramatically increased state and alumni funding. He has also set academic priorities to develop all curriculum around a strong, liberal arts core, verifying quality through assessment and program-specific accreditation. In addition, he integrated technology into the curriculum and emphasized teacher education. Recently, Central has been named the state's lead institution in professional technology. Dr. Elliott became Central Missouri State's 12th president on July 1, 1985, after serving for three years as president of Wayne State College in Wayne, NE. He came to Wayne State in 1971 as director of graduate studies and had also served as a dean and vice president before being named president there. A native of Grain Valley, MO, Ed is a 1960 graduate of William Jewell College and started his teaching career in Harrisonville that same year. He earned his master's degree from Columbia University in 1964, and his doctor of education degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1969. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Ed Elliott has had an outstanding career in education, and he will surely be missed by everyone at Central Missouri State University. I wish him and his wife, Sandra, all the best in the days ahead. I am certain that the Members of the House will join me in playing tribute to this fine Missourian.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri is one of five public leaders nationwide to receive an Americans for the Arts' Government Leadership in the Arts award. Governor Carnahan received the 1999 Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors Award for State Arts Leadership. Governor Carnahan was recognized for his outstanding leadership in forging overwhelming bipartisan support of the arts, resulting in unprecedented cultural policy within the state of Missouri. He spearheaded and signed into law a provision designating 100 percent of an existing tax on non-resident athletes and entertainers to build a $100 million state Cultural Trust over the next ten years. A portion of this designated revenue stream will also provide annual state budget increases for the arts. A number of other exemplary initiatives also characterize Governor Carnahan's leadership in the arts. Since taking office in 1993, Governor Carnahan steadily increased the annual appropriations for the arts in the state, ranking Missouri seventh nationally in per capita state funding for the arts. He established the Missouri Fine arts Academy at Springfield, MO, providing 200 high school students each year the opportunity to participate in a three- week residence program to sharpen their artistic talents. His efforts also led to the statewide public school adoption of arts education as a part of their core curriculum. Nominated by the Missouri Arts Council and Missouri Citizens for the Arts, Governor Carnahan was honored at the Mayor's Arts Gala at Washington, D.C., on January 28, 1999. The event was held in conjunction with the Conference of Mayor's Annual Meeting and the Urban Arts Foundation meeting, a gathering of more than 700 mayors and arts leaders from across the nation. Governor Carnahan shares this honor with many key national figures including, Senator Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts; Representative Michael Castle, of Delaware, Mayor Joseph Riley, of Charleston, S.C.; and Jane Alexander, former NEA Chairperson. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in congratulating Governor Carnahan, and join the Americans for the Arts in commending his good work.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the House of the death of Councilman James B. Haake of Jefferson City, MO. A lifelong resident of the Jefferson City area, Councilman Haake graduated from St. Peters High School before serving in the Navy during the Korean war. From 1957 to 1962, he was employed by the Jefferson City Fire Department. He owned and operated Riteway Limousine Service from 1961 to 1990. For the last 9 years he operated Riteway Courier Service and the Big Dipper. Councilman Haake was an active member in the community, serving the Second Ward on the Jefferson City Council for the past 16 years. He was a member of St. Peters Church, a charter member and past president of the evening Lions Club and a past district governor of the Lions Club International, District 26B. He also received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award from the Lions Club International. During Jim's tenure on the Jefferson City Council, he displayed common sense and worked hard for his constituents. He was a no-nonsense councilman, and he will be truly missed by everyone who had the privilege to know him. I know the Members of the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences to his wife, Catherine Fiend; his son, Charles; his two daughters, Karen and Christa; his two brothers, and his five grandchildren.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the House of the death of Judge Joseph Edward Stevens of Kansas City, MO. Judge Stevens was an honorable adversary in the courtroom, an outstanding jurist, and a warm and thoughtful friend. Judge Stevens was born in Kansas City, attended Southwest High School, Yale University and Michigan Law School. He served as a Lieutenant in the Navy from 1952-1955. Before entering the Navy, he was a research assistant to Charles Whitaker. He was an attorney with Lombardi, McLean, Slagle and Bernard and then with Lathrop, Koontz, Righter, Blackwell, Gordon and Parker from 1956-1981. He was appointed by President Reagan in 1981 to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and served actively until his death, presiding over some of the highest-profile cases in recent Kansas City history. Judge Stevens taught at the Law Schools of the University of Missouri at Columbia and University of Missouri at Kansas City. He served from 1974 to 1982 as a member of the Board of Governors of the Missouri Bar and was president of the Missouri Bar from 1980 to 1981. He was appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate on April 6, 1995 as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, serving as president from 1997 to the present. He was a former member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association and of the Advisory Board of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Judge Stevens was awarded the Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer in 1962, and the Spurgeon Smithson Award in 1987 by the Missouri Bar Association. He was also awarded the President's Award in 1995 by the Missouri Bar President, the Charles E. Whitaker Award in 1996 by the Lawyers Association of Kansas City, and the William F. Yates Distinguished Service Medallion in 1998 by William Jewell College. Judge Stevens was active in the community. He was on the Board of Trustees and sang in the choir at the Central United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Man-of-the-Month Fraternity from 1996 until the present, and of the Missouri Academy of Squires. He was a former member of the Board of Directors and later the Board of Governors of Truman Medical Center, 1981 to 1998, and a former trustee of the Bartsow School. He was on the Board of Directors for the University Club from 1994 until 1997, and was also a member of the Carriage Club, Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Epsilon Lambda Chapter. He was President of the Vanguard Club in 1993 and the Mercury Club in 1995. Judge Joseph Edward Stevens will be missed by everyone who had the privilege to know him. I know the Members of the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences to his family: his wife, Norma; his two daughters, Jennifer and Rebecca, and his sister and brother.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this means to pay tribute to the successful leadership of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, MO. This superb military unit, located in West-Central Missouri and in the heart of my Congressional District, is home to the B-2 Stealth Bombers. The history of Whiteman AFB is rich in tradition. In 1981, I began my work to make sure Whiteman AFB would have a future in the rapidly changing military arena, insisting on modernizing what was then becoming a run-down missile base. This modernization set the stage for 21 B-2 bombers that will eventually be based at Whiteman. People living in the proximity of Whiteman AFB have a great opportunity to observe regularly what can be described as the premier United States Air Force Base. Attesting to the top quality of the base's 509th Bomb Wing was a recent mission in which three B-2s were deployed to Guam for a month of training exercises with 250 troops and other Air Force bombers. The returning B-2s were met at Whiteman by an honor guard and their two commanders, Lt. General Ronald C. Marcotte, the commander of the 8th Air Force, and Brig. General Leroy Barnidge, Jr., present commander of the 509th Wing. Both commanders praised the success of the training exercise which combined a global power mission with precision bombing training on targets in the South Pacific. The praise of the 509th was given for good reason. Their team performed flawlessly and received high praise on every daily report. Mr. Speaker, the success of the 509th is due to the high caliber leadership at both the 8th Air Force and Whiteman AFB. Lt. General Marcotte and Brig. General Barnidge possess the expertise and high quality leadership that makes our national defense second to none. The U.S. Air Force and other branches of military service merit the support of every American, including all Members of Congress.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, It has come to my attention that a distinguished career in the banking industry has come to an end. Joe W. Scallorns, bank president of Farmers and Traders Bank, retired recently after over 30 years of serving Missouri's banking needs. Scallorn's distinguished banking career began as a bank collector in Columbia, Missouri while finishing his degree as a student at the University of Missouri. After college, he joined Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York as a credit analyst. He returned to Columbia in 1967, eventually rising to the position of Vice President of the First Bank of Commerce and later as President of the First National Bank and Trust Company. He joined Eagle Bank of Highland, Illinois, as its President in 1987. In June 1988, he purchased Farmers and Traders Bank in California, Missouri. Additionally, Joe is active in professional organizations, chairing the committees on Banking Education, Legislative Affairs, and the Political Action Committee of the Missouri Banking Association, also serving on its Board of Directors. He also served on the Government Relations Council of the American Bankers Association and its National BancPac Committee. As he prepares for quieter time with his wife, Fran and his son, Joseph, I know all Members of Congress will join me in paying tribute to my good friend Joe Scallorns and in wishing him the best in the days ahead.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, our friend from Illinois spoke reverently of Bunker Hill and Arlington Cemetery. We find ourselves in a debate to impeach a Commander in Chief of the successors to those brave patriots of Bunker Hill and all who served since then. Today we should have our men and our women who stand in harm's way in the Persian Gulf in our thoughts and in our prayers rather than trying to politically decapitate their Commander in Chief. What is a few days? Why the rush to judgment? Our being here reflects a lack of respect for all in uniform as well as their families. If there were such an attempt by my party to remove President Bush during the Persian Gulf conflict, I would have opposed it with all of my being. We must look at the proceeding today and seek the guidance of our Constitution. We must do so without emotion, for the more emotion, the less reason. The framers of the United States Constitution knew that in an extreme case there will be a need to remove or overturn a popular election. They also knew that they must not make impeachment easy or routine. To maintain separation of powers, they set the bar of impeachment high and limited the grounds to impeachment. Initially, the framers made the great crimes of treason and bribery the only offenses worthy of impeachment. Later, at the Constitutional Convention, the standard was broadened to include ``other high crimes and misdemeanors.'' I studied the phrase carefully. The word ``other'' is important because I believe it is crucial to our deliberations on impeachment. I have concluded that the correct legal interpretation and the intent of the framers of that document is that the general phrase ``other high crimes and misdemeanors'' must be limited to the kinds of class or things within the specific words ``treason'' and ``bribery.'' As members of the House of Representatives, it is our duty to measure the President's actions against this high Constitutional standard, without regard to political party or partisan influence. We should not establish a new Constitutional standard which lowers the threshold for ousting a sitting President. I have concluded that even if we concede that all of the allegations in the Judiciary Report are true, President Clinton's actions do not constitute impeachable offenses under the Constitution. There is just no evidence that permitting him to stay on would cause great or serious harm to our system of government. The impeachment proceedings which took place in 1974 can provide us with a useful precedent. In that investigation, the House Judiciary Committee discovered persuasive evidence that President Nixon was criminally liable for tax fraud. However, the Committee, with a Democratic majority, voted 26-12 not to impeach President Nixon for tax fraud because it did not involve official conduct or abuse of Presidential powers. Rather, the Committee limited its impeachment articles to those actions by President Nixon which affected our rights, our liberties, and our privileges, and which if permitted to go on would have seriously harmed our Constitutional system.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale).

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I think more important to that, if I can comment on the remarks of the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), it is how the sailors, marines, airmen, and the soldiers would receive this. Who would think of removing General Schwarzkopf in the middle of Desert Storm? We are talking about taking up a motion to remove the Commander in Chief of the troops who are actively engaged in a military effort, to remove him during a military crisis of the United States of America. We have come back at other times in this Congress, at the end of the year, when there is no conflict, and I say this not to be of help to the President, but to be of assistance to the morale and to the steadiness of the young men and young women who are engaged in this. I think we really ought to rethink taking this matter up during this military crisis that we are in.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield at that point?

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this morning I had the rare opportunity to have breakfast with three bright young United States Navy lieutenant commanders, one a submariner, one a surface warfare officer and the other a pilot of F-14s. It was interesting in talking to them about their future, the future of the United States Navy, that they reflected to me what I know all the young officers must say and feel about their work and about their contribution to national security. In relation to the pilot, I heard about the dire need for spare parts, about the need for more highly trained mechanics and the need of the help we should give to the families. Mr. Speaker, these are the young men and young women who are flying missions last night and tonight over Iraq. They are the ones of whom we are asking so very much, and yet we, who are constitutionally required to raise and maintain the military, have left some of them with spare parts problems and inadequate personnel, and yet we expect them to be letter perfect. Thus far they have. I say a thanks to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spence), the chairman of this committee, for he and I worked early this year in a letter to the President and other leaders making a strong case for additional funding for national security of this country. It was good to see the additional dollars in the supplemental this last year. But in order for us to come to this floor and praise the young men and young women for their courage and bravery, we must do our part first, and that part is making secure those jobs, making sure that they have spare parts, making sure that their airplanes fly and that they have bright young people who are strongly motivated to fix their airplanes and to sail the ships. That is our job. We are here today, and it has been almost overlooked, because of Saddam Hussein's recalcitrance in not allowing inspectors from the United Nations to look for and find the weapons of mass destruction. That is our purpose, to make sure that he does not have those weapons; biological, chemical, nuclear, that could wreck havoc not just on America and Americans' interests and Americans across this globe, but our allies and our friends. I fully support the President's decision. I fully support him, and yesterday I had an early meeting with the Secretary and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs when they told me of this plan, and I told them I was for them. We must, as a body, speak with one voice to support this decision and to support the young men and young women. But I must say more than anything we must support the young men and young women in uniform regardless of the branch in which they serve by doing our part, by adequately funding what they do, by giving them the message that we are with them, more in words, more in resolution, but by adequate funding and resources so they can continue to do the job that we ask them to do and that the Commander in Chief asks them to do. So I fully support this resolution. I hope it will pass unanimously, that the message will be sent to our friends and foes alike that we stand together as a Nation supporting the President's decision and supporting those in uniform who are doing such a masterful job for us and for our country.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski). (Mr. BORSKI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).