Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that John P. Huston, chairman of Wood & Huston Bank in Marshall, Missouri, was inducted into the 50-Year Club of the Missouri Bankers Association. Huston began working full time for Wood & Huston Bank of Marshall after he graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1949. Huston is also an Army Veteran, having served our country in the Korean War. He is currently chairman of Wood & Huston Bank and president of Wood & Huston Bancorporation, Inc. Huston is one of eight bankers who were honored at the Missouri Bankers Association's annual convention this summer. I wish to extend my congratulations to Mr. Huston for his most deserved induction into the 50-Year Club of the Missouri Bankers Association. He has truly served his community and country with great dedication. I wish him well in the days head and am proud to recognize his achievements today.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to congratulate my friends Honey and Jim Scrivner on their 50th wedding anniversary. Honey and Jim Scrivner were married September 3, 1949, in the United Methodist Church in Versailles, MO. The Scrivners have served as model citizens of Versailles, dedicating their lives to the betterment of their community. Jim and Honey have owned and operated Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Homes in Versailles, MO, for 47 years. In addition to the undertaking business, in 1978, Jim Scrivner was elected Mayor of Versailles and served three consecutive terms. During his tenure as Mayor, Scrivner made great industrial improvements to Versailles, including constructing a new sewage treatment plant and sewage lines. He also implemented street upgrading, city park improvements, and housing projects for low-income and elderly persons. In addition, Honey and Jim ran a 24-hour volunteer ambulance service from their house for over 30 years, and helped countless people within Morgan County. Together, the Scrivners have saved lives, delivered babies, and rushed the injured and sick to area clinics and hospitals. The Scrivners have been involved in many community activities. Jim has been a dedicated member of the Lion's Club for many years, and he volunteers once a week at a hospital in Jefferson City. A very active member of the ABWA, Honey has chaired many fundraising projects that benefit girls scholarships. The Scrivners are also involved with the United Methodist Church of Versailles. Not only have the Scrivner's been outstanding citizens in their community, but they are also loving parents and grandparents as well. They have three daughters, Mona, Sherry, and Jamie; and two granddaughters, Carrie Jo and Hannah Kaye. Mr. Speaker, the Scrivners have selflessly devoted their lives to help many people and improve their community. They are truly role models. I know the Members of the House will join me in extending our heartfelt congratulations to the Scrivners for their 50th wedding anniversary. I wish them the very best in all the days ahead.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to recognize the outstanding achievement of Brigadier General James H. Baker, who will retire from the Missouri Air National Guard on September 17, 1999, after 37 years of extraordinary service to our nation. Brigadier General Baker is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, and graduated from Florida State University in 1962. In November 1962, Brigadier General Baker enlisted in the Air Force and was commissioned a second lieutenant in February 1963. After graduating from Air Weapons Controller School in 1963, he was assigned to the 728th Tactical Control Squadron at Ft. Bragg, where he performed extensive temporary assignments in both Thailand and the Republic of Vietnam. Brigadier General Baker was then selected to become the Operations Officer of the 729th Tactical Control Squadron at Eglin AFB, where he tested and implemented the concept of a forward Air Control Post and deployed to the Dominican Republic. In July 1965, Brigadier General Baker returned to the United States and served as Operations Training Officer at the 727th Tactical Control Squadron at Walker AFB, New Mexico, where he was augmented as a regular officer in the USAF. Brigadier General Baker then served as an advisor to the Nationalist Chinese Tactical Control Center at Taipel Air Station, Taiwan, in August 1966. He returned to the United States as a Captain and was assigned as Assistant Professor Aerospace Studies at the University of Mississippi, where he taught Military History, Military Management, Leadership and Air Force Organization, and served as Commandant of Cadets. In September 1971, Brigadier General Baker was assigned to the Command Advisory Function (for special projects), 314th Air Division in Osan AG, Korea. Later that year, he also was selected to command a remote radar site at Kang Nung AB, Korea. When he returned to the United States, Brigadier General Baker assumed the position of Director of Operations for the 727th Tactical Control Squadron, and later became Chief, Standardization and Evaluation for the 602nd Tactical Air Control Wing at Bergstrom AFB, Texas, until his resignation from the regular Air Force in May 1976. In June 1976, Brigadier General Baker joined the Missouri Air National Guard as both the Air Technician and Military Commander of the 157th Tactical Control Flight. While at Jefferson Barracks Air National Guard Base, Brigadier General Baker assumed the positions of Base Commander, Air Technician Commander, 157th Tactical Control Group Commander, and Executive Support Staff Officer. He became the Assistant Adjutant General for Air and was promoted to Brigadier General in January 1996. Mr. Speaker, Brigadier General Baker has dedicated his life to our nation. He has served our nation with great honor and distinction. I know the Members of the House will join me in offering congratulations to Brigadier General Baker and his family--his wife Kathryn, his daughters, Kimberly, Sarah, and Susan, and his sons Bret and Sam; and I wish them all the best in the years ahead.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and pay tribute to Brigadier General Robert Allan Glacel, who will retire from the United States Army on September 30, 1999 after 30 years of exemplary service. Brigadier General Glacel is the son of an Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in World War II and had a 22-year career in the U.S. Army. Brigadier General Glacel graduated from West Point in 1969 and was commissioned in the Field Artillery. After completing the Officer Basic Course and the Airborne and Ranger Courses, Brigadier General Glacel served as a forward observer and assistant executive officer with the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 319th Field Artillery, 173rd Airborne Brigade in the Republic of Vietnam. He than moved to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany, serving as the Commander of B Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery; target acquisition platoon leader for the 3rd Infantry Division Artillery; and S-2 (Intelligence) of the 3rd Infantry Division Artillery. Brigadier General Glacel served for three years in Alaska as Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery, 172nd Light Infantry Brigade (Separate). Additionally, he served as an assistant Professor of Engineering at the United States Military Academy and in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters, Department of the Army. In 1987, Brigadier General Glacel took command of the 1st Battalion, 4th Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea, commanding the northern most Field Artillery site in South Korea and defending the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. Brigadier General Glacel served as Political Military Planner in J-5 (Plans), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., where he was instrumental in the negotiations in Vienna, Austria, for the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe between the NATO, Warsaw Pact, and nonaligned countries. In 1992, Brigadier General Glacel became the Division Artillery Commander for the 7th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Ord, California. After inactivating that unit due to Congressionally mandated downsizing of the Army, Brigadier General Glacel served as Executive Officer to the Under Secretary of the Army in Washington, D.C. In 1995, Brigadier General Glacel assumed the position of Chief of the Requirements and Programs Branch, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Policy in SHAPE, Belgium. In this capacity, Brigadier General Glacel was responsible for the background studies leading to the enlargement of NATO to nineteen countries with the admission of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Brigadier General Glacel has spent the last two years as Commanding General of the U.S. Army's Test and Experimentation Command, Fort Hood, Texas. He is responsible for all operational testing of Army equipment with particular emphasis on the Force XXI digitized Army, the backbone of our future force. Brigadier General Glacel is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He holds masters degrees in both civil and mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as a masters degree in business administration from Boston University. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal. Mr. Speaker, Brigadier General Bob Glacel is the kind of officer that all soldiers strive to be. He has spent thirty years serving our country, mentoring young officers and soldiers, maintaining standards of excellence, and serving his country in an exemplary fashion. The U.S. Army is a better institution for his service. I know the Members of the House will join me in offering gratitude to Brigadier General Glacel and his family--his wife, Barbara, and his daughters, Jennifer, Sarah, and Ashley--for their service to our nation, and we wish them all the best in the years ahead.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to recognize Maxine Deamos upon her retirement from the Lafayette Regional Health Center in Lexington, Missouri. Ms. Deamos first started working at the former Lexington Memorial Hospital 34 years ago. During her tenure, she worked as a nursing aid in various departments of the hospital, including surgery, obstetrics, and the operating room. At the time of her retirement, Ms. Deamos was employed in the sterile central supply, the part of the hospital that provides sterile processing for surgical instruments and equipment. A standout employee during her 34 years, she was named Lafayette Regional Health Center Employee of the Year in 1967 and given the Smile Award, recognizing her cheery attitude, in 1997. Maxine Deamos is an outstanding citizen of the Lexington community, and her wonderful personality will be missed by all at Lexington Regional Health Center. During her quieter times, Ms. Deamos plans to travel, work on her crafts, and spend time with her grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that our colleagues join me in recognition of this outstanding Missourian.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this means to recognize the tenth anniversary of the first flight of the B-2 bomber. The anniversary was recently celebrated at a ceremony at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA, on July 17, 1999. The first public display of the B-2 was in late 1988, at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA. This was followed by the first flight of the B-2 on July 17, 1989, at Edwards Air Force Base, CA. Northrop Gumman's Military Aircraft Systems Division unveiled its brand new product--a low-observability, Multi-role bomber that can fly 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 kilometers) without refueling. The plane's revolutionary design, while instantly recognizable to the human eye, makes it all but invisible to radar. The B-2 is an engineering marvel. The plane's low-observability characteristic derives from a combination of reduced infrared acoustic, electromagnetic, visual, and radar signatures. These facts make it difficult for even the most sophisticated defensive systems to detect and engage the B-2. While most of the technical aspects of the plane remain classified, the B-2 owes some of its stealth capabilities to special coatings, the flying wing design, and the composite materials of which it is made. These innovations are complemented by the highest- precision bombing technology in existence. The B-2 is now outfitted with the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit. This system combines the Global Positioning System and Inertial Navigation System for incredibly accurate bombing. The B-2 is based at Whiteman Air Force Base, near Knof Noster, MO. The first B-2, the Spirit of Missouri, was delivered to Whiteman on December 17, 1993. During the recent air war, B-2 made 30-hour round- trip missions from this base to Kosovo, where they dropped eleven percent of the precision ordnance while flying less than one percent of the sorties. As General Leroy Barnidge said at the tenth anniversary ceremony, ``The airplane exceeded everybody's expectations. It's got a war-fighting capability that is second to none.'' Mr. Speaker, I know that all of our colleagues in the House will join me in celebrating the tenth anniversary of the most revolutionary design in bombing aircraft since World War II.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that William Wilson Sterrett, of Independence, Missouri, passed away on June 20, 1999. Born June 15, 1909, in Slater, Missouri, Mr. Sterrett was the son of the late Joseph B. and Elizabeth Galdwell Sterrett. He married Rachel W. Finch on December 19, 1936, in Washington, DC. Mr. Sterrett was a 1926 graduate of Slater Higher School and a 1930 graduate of Missouri Valley College in Marshall. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia for two years and graduated from George Washington, University Law School in 1935. He served as Deputy Circuit Clerk of Saline County from 1932-1934. He passed the Bar in December 1934 and practiced law in Saline County for 53 yeas at Sterrett Law Office. He was secretary to Congressman William Nelson in Washington, DC, from 1934-40. He was with the General Accounting Office in Washington, DC, for two years, the War Production board for a year, and the Air Transport Command for two years. He returned to Slater in 1946 where he served as city attorney from 1946-1981. Mr. Sterret was active in the community. He served as chairman of the Saline County Red Cross and on the Slater Public School board from 1948-52. He was a member, deacon, trustee, elder and Sunday school teacher at the Slater Presbyterian Church. He was president of the Saline County Bar Association from 1983-91 and vice president from 1991-93. He was a longtime member of the Slater Rotary club where he was a past president and the club's first Paul Harris Fellow in 1995. He was a United States Army/Air Corps veteran of World War II and a member of the American Legion Post #78 in Slater. He was a Boy Scout Counselor since 1950 and received the Missouri Valley College Outstanding Alumnus Award in 1996. He served on the board of directors at the State Bank of Slater for 53 years. Mr. Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences to his wife, Rachel; his two sons, Joseph and James; and his three grandchildren.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and giving me this moment to speak. Let me first compliment and congratulate this committee and this subcommittee on this defense bill. I started out this year in a comparable committee, the Committee on Armed Services, saying that this should be the year of the troops. To everyone's credit on the Committee on Armed Services and on the Subcommittee on Defense and the full Committee on Appropriations, they have helped make that come true. The young men and young women of our military will not only receive pension reform, but they will receive pay increases long overdue. On the subject of this particular issue which is before us, there is the old saying: The more emotion, the less reason. Let us look in the past and take a chapter from the past and particularly B-2, which by the way, as the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) pointed out so clearly, what a wonderful job it did in the recent Kosovo conflict. I am so proud of what they did, the young men and women assigned in the Whiteman Air Force base and the B-2 509th Wing. The B-2 debate was over several years. It was arduous, hair pulling, and difficult. But at the end of the day, there was a decision made by the committees and backed up by this Congress on what we needed. This is not a matter of F-15Es versus the F-22, because we are comparing apples to oranges. The F-22 is the air-to-air fighting. The F-15E is an air-to-ground system. So let us not look at it that way. Of course, would I like to have F-15Es? We would like to have more, of course. But what I think we should do is, with as much reason as we can, look at the dollars that are available, look at the need that is necessary for our national interests, and make that decision along the lines that we did for the B-2. America will come out well.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and allowing me to speak on this very important issue. What we do today on this amendment not only draws a lot of attention but it sends a sincere and straigthforward message to those young men and young women who today find themselves in uniform defending the interests of the United States of America. The money is there, Mr. Chairman. The fund is there. What is wrong with following the precedent that we have already set by voting in this House to allow that trust fund to be created from the Iraqi funds in order to take care of those young men and young women who might well be suffering from the Gulf War Syndrome? Saddam Hussein, the country of Iraqi, did very, very wrong, and the Americans righted that wrong by getting them out of Kuwait. But in the process, those young men and young women, those veterans of that conflict, as a result of the toxics that they ingested in themselves, became victims. And I certainly think we can follow through and help them reclaim what is rightfully theirs; the dollars from that fund.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I certainly thank the gentleman, and I also compliment the gentleman on asking for and receiving this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, we are talking this evening about priorities for spending this surplus budget. Of course, we hope to reduce the Federal debt, we hope to protect Social Security, we hope to protect Medicare; we must fully fund the military as the gentleman talked about so well. As a matter of fact, I have declared this year, and we have worked for and I think successfully in the bill that we have passed, and we are now in conference on with the Senate, I have named this the Year of the Troops, because we have done good things in this bill to make conditions better for them, their pay raise and potential pensions better for them, and this really is, this year, the Year of the Troops. There are recruiting problems, there are retention problems, keeping those fine young men and women in uniform rather than going home discouraged, urging them to recruit, to come in and join the magnificent adventure that we know as the American military. Madam Speaker, one thing that concerns me is our military retirees. Let us look at this whole issue through the eyes of a military family. The father is one who has spent 20 years in the military and retired as a sergeant first class. He has done well. And he has a son who is now in the military and has been in the military some 6 or 7 years, and that son has a wife and children, and they look at Congress as to what does the future hold for us? Well, first, let us look at the young man, the young corporal who is in the military at the present time. His wife is working hard because of the fact that they have 3 children. They are on food stamps. This is not acceptable for any member of our military to have to receive food stamps to feed them. And yet, that is the case in this particular family. Let us look at the father who spent some 20 years in active duty, an honorable discharge, one who performed his duty well, whose time had been under fire in adverse conditions, receiving commendations therefor. And this man, this military retiree develops a serious health problem and goes to a nearby military post and asks for help, and he is turned away because of his age, because of the fact that there are no facilities to take care of him. And he is bitter. He said, but when I joined the Army and they asked me to stay for 20 years for a full commitment that they would take care of my health problems for life, and then he finds that that is not the case. We are letting down two generations of young military and senior military people. We cannot allow that to happen. How do we stop it? We look toward this fortunate budget surplus that we have. And I might say, Madam Speaker, that I was very proud to be a part of the beginning and the continuation of the budget surplus through the votes that we held here through the years. We must take care of this family and families just like them. The Committee on Ways and Means is marking up the reconciliation bill that will provide for billions of dollars in tax cuts over the next 10 years. I am very concerned that these tax cuts are being contemplated when we have not ensured that adequate health care will be available to our Nation's seniors. I am particularly concerned about providing health care to military retirees. When they joined the military, many of them during the Second World War, they were promised lifetime health care facilities if they completed 20 years or more of military service. My hat is off to them for doing that. Tom Brokaw recently wrote a book entitled The Greatest Generation, and these are the men and the women of that generation that helped build America. They came through the Depression, won the war on both ends of the earth, in Europe and in the Asian area, came back and built our economy and strengthened our freedom and made us the grandest civilization ever known to the history of mankind, and these are the same ones that are being deprived of medical health care, even though they have performed their 20 and 20 plus years of active military service. It is not right for them. We must do a better job. We must look very seriously at this budget surplus. We must take care not just of the troops that we have now, and I am so proud of them. I am so proud of them, what they did in the effort regarding Kosovo is a new chapter in American military history. But yet, those who are retirees wrote their own chapters in military history. I am proud of them so much as well. So I must say to my colleagues, let us think hard and long on this. Let us use this budget surplus to help those young men and young women in uniform today and those who wore the uniforms so ably and so well in yesteryear. We can do it. It is a matter of reason, a matter of taking care of first priorities first. Our national security is the first challenge, it is the very first precept that we in Congress have is to have a national defense for our Nation. In doing so, we must not break faith with those in the past, we must not break faith with those young men and young women in uniform today. So I compliment the gentleman, and I look forward to using the budget surplus well and not let it be taken away from the military, from the national defense of our beloved country. I yield back.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the House of the death of Marion Leslie (M.L.) Anson, 77, of Higginsville, Missouri. Mr. Anson was born December 23, 1921, in Higginsville and lived most of his lifetime in the Higginsville area. He was a 1940 graduate of Higginsville High School and also a graduate of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He was a member and past president of Phi Delta Theta, a social fraternity. Mr. Anson served with the United States Navy in the Pacific Theatre during world War II with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Mr. Anson was active in the community. He was a former member of the Higginsville Board of Aldermen, the Higginsville Board of Education, and a founding member of the Higginsville Country Club, where he served as a member of the Board of Directors. He was a past member of the Lion's Club and was active in the Boy Scouts, serving in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He was a member of the Higginsville American Legion Post #223 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #6270. Mr. Anson was a sponsor of the Save our Strays program in Lafayette County. He was also a member of Central Christian Church in Higginsville, where he served as a deacon and was a longtime member of the church choir. Mr. Anson was the secretary-treasurer and co-owner with his son, Joseph, of Anson Implement, Inc., a John Deere Dealership in Higginsville. He was a former co-owner of the Smith-Anson Implement Company in Odessa, until the early 1950s, when he joined the Higginsville business with his father, Leslie Anson, and his brother- in-law, James O. Smith. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Anson was a fine American and a true friend. I know the Members of the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences to his wife, Mary Lou; his son, Joseph; his three daughters, Maris, Jennifer, and Marion; his sister, Jean; seven grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Mrs. Karen Ensor, the principal's secretary for the past 26 years at Lexington High School in Lexington, Missouri, retired on June 30, 1999. Mrs. Ensor began her career 33 years ago when she accepted a position as a teacher's aide at Leslie Bell Elementary School. She remained at Leslie Bell for seven years and then moved to the high school as the principal's secretary. In that post, Karen served the students and staff Lexington High School for 26 years. A typical day at Lexington High School for Mrs. Ensor included keeping attendance, monitoring student records, making arrangements for athletic teams, answering the phone, tracking down over 300 students, and making sure the students got their lunch tickets. Indeed, Karen's duties at Lexington High School have been multi-faceted. Her dedication and outstanding service to the school and the Lexington community are truly honorable. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Ensor will surely be missed by everyone at Lexington High School. I wish her and her husband, Dale, all the best in the days ahead. I am certain that the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to this great Missourian.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that second grade Title I Reading Instructor Billie Hulver, of Lexington R-V School District in Missouri, retired from the teaching profession on May 24, 1999. Mrs. Hulver began her teaching career after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Missouri State University in 1977, where she also later earned a Masters degree in Remedial Reading. She taught at the Leslie Bell School in Lexington, MO, for 22 years, helping many children learn to read in the ensuing years. A highlight of Mrs. Hulver's career occurred recently when she had the opportunity to present the district's early intervention reading program at the International Reading Association annual convention in San Diego, CA. Mrs. Hulver was instrumental in the development of the district's special 90-minute reading program for those students who could benefit from the extra help in learning this all-important educational skill. With special assistance and encouragement from Leslie Bell Elementary School Principal Barbara Kitchell, Mrs. Hulver designed a ``pull-out'' program--where students are pulled out of their regular classroom for their extra reading instruction--in 1994. Most school districts have only a 30-minute duration reading assistance program. In the ``pull-out'' program, each group attending a 90-minute session is broken down into smaller, more flexible groups of 3 or 4 students, with each small group spending a predetermined amount of time at several work centers set up around the room. At the end of each time period, the students at one learning center move on to the next learning center, eventually making their way around the room, having spent some time in each of the learning centers. Activities are directed by the teachers at some of the learning centers, with the students working independently at others. The program has resulted in significant improvement in the reading scores of participating students. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in extending our heartfelt gratitude to Billie Hulver for her dedication and professionalism in helping the youth of our country develop their reading skills, and in wishing her a happy and healthy retirement.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that a distinguished career in the insurance industry has come to an end. Wes Langkraehr recently retired after 34 years as an American Family insurance agent. Mr. Langkraehr was raised and educated in the Concordia, MO, area. After short stints at the Sweet Springs shoe factory and working construction at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mr. Langkraehr left Concordia in 1953 to work at the Kansas City Power and Light Company (KCP&L). In 1954, he joined the Army. Upon completion of his tour of duty as a soldier, he returned to KCP&L, where he worked for a total of 14 years. While working at KCP&L, Mr. Langkraehr also started working part-time in the insurance business. By 1964, he was making more money with insurance than he was in his full-time job at KCP&L. He quit KCP&L in 1967 and began working full-time in the insurance business with American Family. In July 1969, he was selected as the Company Agent of the Month, boosting his confidence in his ability as an insurance agent. He never looked back. With his insurance business booming, Mr. Langkraehr began to buy, sell, and develop real estate. He formed Metro East Corporation in the early 1980's. With his retirement from the insurance industry, Mr. Langkraehr now has time to devote more attention to Metro East. Mr. Langkraehr is a full-time booster for the town of Concordia, MO. He remains active in the community, rarely missing meetings of either the Lions Club or the City Council. Mr. Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in extending our best wishes in the years ahead to Wes Langkraehr.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the House of the death of former Missouri Supreme Court Judge Robert T. Donnelly, 74, of Jefferson City, Missouri. Judge Donnelly was born Aug. 31, 1924, in Lebanon, Missouri, a son of Thomas J. and Sybil True Donnelly. He was married Nov. 16, 1946, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Wanda Sue ``Susie'' Oates, who survives at the home. A graduate of Lebanon High School, he attended the University of Tulsa and Ohio State University. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia, receiving his law degree from the university in 1949. An Army veteran of World War II, he received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Judge Donnelly practiced law in Lebanon, Missouri, with Phil M. Donnelly and David Donnelly from 1952 to 1965. He was an assistant Attorney General of Missouri from 1957 to 1963. He was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court by Governor Warren E. Hearnes in 1965, and served as chief justice from 1973 to 1975, and from 1981 to 1983. He was the first chief justice to address the General Assembly of Missouri on the State of the Judiciary in January 1974. Judge Donnelly was active in the community. He was a member and elder at First Presbyterian Church, a member of Lebanon Masonic Lodge, A.F. & A.M. and a 50-year member of the Missouri Bar. He served on the Lebanon Board of Education from 1959 to 1965; on the board of the School of Religion, Drury College, Springfield, from 1958 to 1963; and on the board of the Missouri School of Religion, Columbia, from 1971 to 1972. He was deputy chairman of the National Conference of Chief Justices in 1975. In 1998 he published ``A Whistle in the Night,'' his autobiography and memoir. Judge Robert T. Donnelly will be missed by all 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, Susie; his two sons, Thomas and Brian; his sister, Helen; and his three grandchildren.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this means to pay tribute to an outstanding Missourian, Colonel Dalton Wright of Lebanon, Missouri. On the morning of the 55th anniversary of the allied invasion of Normandy, the Missouri Army National Guard 35th Aviation Brigade held a time-honored military event, the change of command ceremony, with Colonel Dalton Wright passing command of the 35th Aviation Brigade to Colonel Michael Pace. The ceremony was held at the 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation armory at Whiteman Air Force Base. Prior to turning over command to Colonel Pace, Major General John Havens, the Adjutant General of Missouri, presented Colonel Wright the Legion of Merit Medal for exceptionally meritorious performance of duty while serving as commander of the 35th Aviation Brigade. Colonel Wright had commanded the brigade since Jan. 1, 1995. He will be reassigned as the Missouri State Aviation Officer in Jefferson City. His next assignment is the highest position that any pilot in the Missouri National Guard can attain. He takes over that position in July. Colonel Wright originally served in the U.S. Navy. He completed flight training in 1967 and flew the A-6 Intruder from 1968 to 1971. He had one tour in Vietnam where he was decorated with the Naval Commendation for Valor, the Air Medal (six awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal. After Colonel Wright's service in the Navy, he returned to Missouri and joined the National Guard. He was instrumental in getting attack helicopter assets added to the Guard inventory. Some of Wright's duties in Missouri included commander of the 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation in Warrensburg; commander of Detachment 1, 1107th AVCRAD in Springfield; and his latest as commander, 35th Division Aviation Brigade. Colonel Wright was president of the National Newspaper Association from 1997 to 1998. He is the president and owner of Lebanon Publishing Company. Mr. Speaker, I know that the other Members of the House join me in expressing congratulations to Colonel Wright for a job well done.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me take this opportunity to point out a bit of history, that I supported the efforts of our country regarding the Contras, that I supported President Bush's efforts, successful efforts against Saddam Hussein, that I supported this country and NATO's efforts against Mr. Milosevic. Omar Bradley, the famous Missourian, Second World War General, once said that ``second place doesn't count on the battlefield.'' We were victorious, Mr. Speaker. Milosevic's troops, his presence is no longer in Kosovo. Was it worth it to take on Saddam Hussein? Certainly. It was well worth it to take on Milosevic. The killing has stopped. The NATO alliance has held together. I might point out to this body that we are talking about section 1207, and in particular in response to the gentleman from Texas, I wish to read subsection 7 that says, ``President Slobodan Milosevic will be held accountable for his actions while President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in initiating four armed conflicts,'' et cetera. Also section 8 says, ``Bringing to justice through the International Criminal Tribunal of Yugoslavia individuals in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.'' That is what we are commending, that is what we are instructing the conferees to adopt, among other items. Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to instruct conferees.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I move that the motion to instruct be adopted by this House. This is a motion to require or to urge the conferees to adopt section 1207 of the House amendment. The House will remember this is an amendment offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) which dealt with the goals for the conflict in Yugoslavia. I might say that these goals were set forth by numerous people, including General Wesley Clark, including the President, including the Secretary General of NATO. They have been the polestars of this whole conflict. We do this in a customary manner, Mr. Speaker. Customarily, at the end of a conflict, we compliment as a body those who participated in and helped achieve a victory. There is no question about it, this is a substantial victory for the allies, a substantial victory for NATO, and a substantial victory for the United States of America. First, we speak of the United States Armed Forces. True, it was an air war primarily, but many of the Army and much of the Navy were deeply involved. But for that effort, it would not have been nearly as well done or as well planned nor as well executed. To the families of American servicemen and women who bear the brunt of their spouses and their mothers and their fathers being gone, because of the separation from their home, from their loved ones, and we support them through this by giving them a congratulatory word. To the President, for his steadfastness, for his perseverance toward the goal of victory. To the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Supreme Allied Commander, all of them for their hard work and planning and implementation of this Operation Allied Force. To the Secretary of State, the National Security Adviser, and the other administration officials who engaged in diplomatic efforts which, in the end, resolved the Kosovo conflict. And to all the forces of our NATO allies. This was not a mere United States effort. It was an effort on behalf of all the NATO nations led by the Secretary General and the Allied Commander in Europe, General Wesley Clark. To all the front line states, those who bore the burden of refugees and of having foreign forces on their soil. Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Romania, they all experienced the instability produced by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in its policy of ethnic cleansing. This is a mere token of appreciation by this House to each of these people, to each of these countries, to each of those who participated and bore the burden of victory in Yugoslavia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher).