Bart Stupak

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I reluctantly voted for H.R. 5005, the Homeland Security Act of 2002. I say reluctantly because I have very strong objections to certain provisions contained in the bill which favor ``special interests.'' In particular, I am opposed to provisions in the bill that would protect pharmaceutical firms and other corporations from lawsuits. Gut our efforts to crack down on companies that move abroad to escape U.S. taxes. Provide protection against lawsuits for companies that have provided passenger and baggage screening in airports. Give the new homeland security secretary broad authority to protect companies that sell anti-terrorism technologies. These provisions were inserted without consulting any Democratic leaders, and put in the bill literally in the middle of the night! Mr. Speaker, I have a long and well-known record of fighting against provisions such as these. These provisions were not in the original bill we passed earlier this year and I cannot understand why the Republican Caucus felt it necessary to include them in the most significant reorganization of the federal government in fifty years! These provisions harm the average American by curtailing their legal rights to seek justice from corporations. Haven't we seen the dangers of allowing big business to operate this way? The Senate was right in drawing national attention to this sham. I am hopeful the Republican leadership will live up to its promise to remove these provisions early next Congress, but I fear they are already backing off their promise to do so. Mr. Speaker, we desperately need a Department of Homeland Security, and that is why I voted for the bill. However, we do not need more give aways for corporate special interests, and I urge my GOP colleagues to move with great speed to remove the provisions early next session.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an important part of the economy, culture and education of the Copper Country of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Keweenaw National Historic Park on its tenth anniversary. Keweenaw National Historic Park became a reality on October 27, 1992 when Public Law 102-543 was signed into law by President George Herbert Walker Bush. The park's creation was first mentioned in 1971. The effort began in earnest in 1982 and culminated with the establishment of America's three hundred sixty sixth national park ten years ago. The twin purposes in establishing the park were preserving the nationally significant historical cultural sites and structures on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula for the education, benefit, and inspiration of present and future generations; and to interpret the historical synergism between the geological, aboriginal, sociological, cultural, technological, and corporate forces that relate the story of copper on the Keweenaw Peninsula and the entire nation. Seventeen cooperating sites comprise the Keweenaw National Historic Park. Each separate site tells a different part of the story of the Copper Country's significant role in the American Industrial Revolution. Coupled with the area's natural beauty, the park draws more and more visitors each year. The park has been growing in assets and visitors year by year and during the tenth anniversary celebration the Keweenaw National Historic Park Headquarters will be dedicated. The park headquarters will be located in a one hundred five year old office building, that formerly served as the Calumet & Hecla (C&H) Company's general office building. Refurbishing efforts are currently underway at two former mining related sites, the C&H library, that will serve as the Keweenaw History Center and at an old union hall. These sites and the fourteen other cooperating park sites tell the unique story of the copper miners' (many from foreign countries) migration to Michigan's Upper Peninsula in a sociological and historical context. The idea of bringing curious historical visitors to the area has been accepted by the public and private sectors of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The coalition of area residents and businesses foresaw the educational benefits that accurate historic preservation would provide to residents and visitors alike. Commemorating and interpreting the history of hard rock mining in the Keweenaw has provided an economic boom to the area not seen since the boom days of the Calumet & Hecla and Quincy Mining Companies. Public and private cooperation is also critical to funding the park. The bill authorizing the creation of the park relied on private partnership funding with federal matching funds. This shared funding fosters the development of the park's cooperating sites. Mr. Speaker, preserving the past for the education of future generations benefits the area both economically and educationally. America's 102nd Congress recognized the benefits of establishing the Keweenaw National Historic Park. The area residents and businesses have and will continue to benefit economically, culturally, and educationally from the park for years to come. Mr. Speaker, on October 27, 2002 the Keweenaw National Historic Park will celebrate its tenth anniversary. I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting, a great historical and economic asset to Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula as the Keweenaw National Historic Park celebrates the community's past while providing for the community's economic and historical future.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a person whose voice is the sound of news for generations of radio listeners in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Copper Country. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Richard Tuisku, known to his listeners as Dick Storm, on the occasion of his recent induction into the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Richard Tuisku was born 59 years ago in a small town called Toivola in Houghton County Michigan. He graduated from Michigan Technological University in Houghton and also went to broadcasting school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1962 he began his broadcasting career at WSWW in Platteville, Wisconsin, using the name Dick Storm because he thought his Finnish last name, Tuisku, would be too difficult for his co-workers and listeners to pronounce correctly. He chose the radio name ``Storm'' because it is a reasonably close English word for his given last name, Tuisku, which roughly translates to blizzard in Finnish. Two years later Dick Storm moved back to the Upper Peninsula and began working at a radio station in Hancock. He changed jobs but still did news at WCCY an AM/FM combo station in Houghton. Copper Country radio audiences have been getting their news from Dick for almost forty years. In 1994 he and a partner purchased the Houghton AM/FM stations he worked at and they are now WCCY AM and WOLV FM. Despite being an owner of the stations, Dick continues to work six days a week doing the news and hosting a weekly public affairs program. Dick is not the only public spirited member of the household. Mary Tuisku, his wife, served as mayor of Hancock from 1990 until 1995. In recognition of his many years of radio news and public affairs broadcasting, Dick was inducted into the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in the summer of 2002. Mr. Speaker, many people complain when they have to get up early to go to work, Dick Storm has been getting up before dawn for forty years to do radio news. I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting a legendary broadcaster and a long time friend of mine, Richard Tuisku (a/k/a Dick Storm) on the occasion of his induction into the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent of mine, a true ``yooper'' in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan who has served in the United States Postal Service for more than a half century. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Louise Beaudoin in recognition of her fifty years of working at the post office in Trout Lake, Michigan. Born in 1927, in Moran, Michigan, Louise married Neil Beaudoin 58 years ago and has lived in Trout Lake ever since. Louise Beaudoin began her career in the United States Post Office in Trout Lake on February 22, 1952. Trout Lake, a small resort town in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, is located approximately 30 miles northwest of the Mackinac Bridge, in the heart of the Eastern U.P. snowmobile country. This resort town consists of three lakes--perfect for fishing, boating, and swimming, a number of small resorts and restaurants, as well as a campground and park. Truly a vacationer's delight. While Trout Lake is too small to support a school, it does rely heavily on its local post office as a means of contact with the outside world. Louise Beaudoin, the current Postmaster, has overseen operations at Trout Lake postal center for 19 years. This post office, which has no computers, manually processes all mail sent to and received by the town of approximately 600. Louise began her career in Trout Lake as a part time flex employee. She was converted to a career appointment in November of 1971, and has served as Postmaster since 1983. Affectionately referred to as ``Aunt Louise,'' ``Weezie'' or ``Weezer'' by townspeople and friends, Louise Beaudoin has served under seven Postmasters. Throughout her tenure in the post office, Louise has received numerous awards including: ``Beyond the Call of Duty'' lapel pin, the Superior Achievement Award; a 30 year service pin, a 45 year ruby service pin; and in June of this year, the 50 year diamond lapel pin as well as a resolution from the Michigan Legislature. Louise has two sons Richard and Mark Beaudoin. Richard has followed in his mother's footsteps, working for the USPS in West Palm Beach, Florida, while Mark owns Beaudoin Sanitation in Trout Lake. She has two granddaughters in Trout Lake, Amy and Erin, who actively help Louise by washing windows, sweeping sidewalks and shoveling snow. Outside of her work in the post office, Louise is actively involved in St. Mary's Catholic Church, and the Trout Lake Women's Club. Mr. Speaker, on June 21, 2002, Louise Beaudoin officially celebrated her fifty years of service to the United States Postal Service in Trout Lake. She was joined by her friends and family as well as several other postmasters in the Eastern Upper Peninsula recognizing her tireless dedication to the community of Trout Lake and the United States Postal Service. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting, Louise Beaudoin, a woman who exemplifies the very best qualities of the good people residing in the First Congressional District of Michigan.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I co-sponsored H.R. 2155, the Sober Borders Act, because as a former law enforcement official and founder of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, I understand firsthand the challenges Michigan and other border states face with drunk drivers crossing border checkpoints. I take seriously Congress's responsibility to help enforce state and local laws to prevent drunk driving and to ensure the safety of our district's residents. However, despite my co-sponsorship, I will vote against H.R. 2155, on the grounds that Mr. Conyers was not allowed to offer an amendment under the rule for its consideration. I support his amendment which would have recommended a GAO study to help prevent racial profiling by Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officials who will now be permitted to stop, breathalize, and arrest suspected drunk drivers at the Canadian and Mexican borders. It is a very simple amendment, but his concerns will not be addressed because of the way this bill was brought up on the floor. I urge my colleagues to vote against this measure.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an institution in Iron County Michigan politics. I rise to honor Fred M. Saigh for his many years of public service to the people of Iron County. Born on August 21, 1920, Fred M. Saigh graduated from Iron River High School in 1938 before earning degrees at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. Following his service in the United States Navy during World War II, Fred entered into his family's restaurant business in 1946. In 1954 he entered the insurance business as an agent for the New York Life Insurance Company. In 1957 he began a lengthy business relationship with First National Underwriters, first as an agent, then vice-president in 1964, and later chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. He has also served as a director of the Iron River National Bank and the Michigan Financial Corporation. Fred M. Saigh began his political career in 1957 with his election as an Iron River City Commissioner. He served on the Iron River City Commission until 1968, including four terms as the mayor of Iron River. During Fred's years of service on the Iron River City Commission the board reorganized the city's financial structure and developed an industrial park. In 1965 Fred began a thirty-five year involvement with the Iron County Board of Commissioners, including nineteen years as chairman. Currently the vice chairman, he has been a member of the Iron County Board of Commissioners almost continuously except for a two year absence in the early 1980's. While on the Iron County Board of Commissioners the county developed: a tax equalization office, the Iron County Ambulance Service, the Iron County Economic Development Corporation, the Iron County General Hospital, the Iron County Medical Care Facility, and constructed a new grandstand at the Iron County Fairgrounds, among many other projects to better the lives of Iron County residents. Fred has served as a member of many public boards and commissions including but not limited to: the Western Upper Peninsula Manpower Consortium, the Dickinson-Iron Mental Health Board, the Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency, the Iron County Economic Development Corporation. In addition to his political activities Fred has found time for membership in the Iron County Kiwanis Club, the Iron River Country Club, the Elks Lodge, the American Legion, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and many other organizations. Fred and his wife, Lorraine, have raised six children: Terry, Barbara, F. Michael, Frederick III, Peter, and Mark. Lorraine has also dedicated her life to public service as an educator and school administrator in the West Iron County School District in Iron County. Mr. Speaker, Fred has gone above and beyond the call of duty as a public servant and his public spiritedness is an inspiration to citizens and elected officials alike. I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting a personal friend of mine and a true friend of the people of Iron County, Fred M. Saigh, in recognition of his thirty five years as a member of the Iron County Michigan Board of Commissioners and his eleven years on the Iron River City Commission.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a man who is a longtime activist in labor, politics, and community service in northern Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Daniel A. Benac of Montmorency County, Michigan. Dan Benac was born in Alpena, Michigan on June 8, 1922, as one of twelve children of George and Rose Benac. Nearly sixty years ago he married Geraldine on February 9, 1943 and the couple raised three children: Charlotte, Carolyn, and David. Dan and Geraldine have eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Dan Benac served in the U.S. Army's 103rd Infantry Division from 1942 until receiving an honorable medical discharge as a private in 1943. After serving his country, he then began his career as a skilled tradesman at Besser Manufacturing in Alpena. Dan then worked at a small manufacturing plant in Walled Lake, Michigan before taking a position with Pontiac Motors in 1948. He tried his hand as an entrepreneur in 1955, when he started and operated two gas stations. During the time he ran these businesses he began an apprenticeship as an electrician and earned the status of a journeyman electrician in 1962. In 1969, Dan Benac took his skills to Warren, Michigan, where he worked at General Motor's Chevrolet plant. He began his union career in 1948 when he joined the United Auto Workers. While at the Chevrolet plant, Dan accepted the position as a UAW committeeman. In 1974 Dan Benac took a medical retirement from GM, but as with so many union brothers and sisters, Dan continued his work with the union. In addition to his membership in the UAW, he also joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in 1956. In 1983 Dan was named chairman of the UAW Retirees for the Alpena International Council. Dan organizes presentations on a monthly basis for his fellow retirees that range from elected officials to speeches about prescription drugs and Medicare. Dan was later named chairman of the UAW Region 1-D retirees, serving members from sixty two counties. He continues to serve as chairman of the UAW Region 1-D retirees to this day. He is also a board member of the UAW statewide coordinating committee for the Democratic Party. In addition to his union activities Dan Benac was instrumental in forming the Montmorency County Democratic Party. He served for many years as chairman of the Montmorency County Democratic Party before resigning from that post recently. While Dan is no longer chairman, he remains active in the Montmorency County Democratic Party. Dan Benac is a board member of the National Council for Senior Citizens. He is also a member of other organizations including the Shrine Club, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, and Masons. He is also chairman of the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund for Montmorency County. Mr. Speaker, Dan Benac's activities are amazing for a person of any age but as an eighty year old, his many activities are exceptionally admirable. Dan and Geraldine Benac have been great assets to their family, their fellow workers, and their community and good friends of mine. Mr. Speaker, on October 19, 2002 the Montmorency County Democratic Party will hold a tribute dinner for Dan Benac at the Atlanta, Michigan Senior Center. I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting Dan Benac, a great man who has spent his life in service to others.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, we are being asked to commit our young servicemen and women to a possible war in Iraq. It is important for everyone to understand the gravity of this vote and the legal, ethical and moral grounds for such a grave commitment of U.S. lives and resources. To date, I have received nearly 900 communications opposed to the United States acting unilaterally against Iraq and approximately 16 communications in support of the President's position. No matter what the result of the vote on each proposed resolution, I am confident that every Member will rally around our brave young servicemen and women if or when they are committed to hostile action in Iraq or anywhere else in the world. Over the past few weeks, I have attended classified briefings on Capitol Hill, at the Pentagon, and with the President. In reflecting upon the views, opinions, and concerns expressed by my constituents, and after a thorough review of international law, it is clear that war with another country should only be declared if your country is directly attacked; if another nation is an accomplice in the attack on your country; if there is an immediate pending attack on your country; and, finally, if there is defiance of international law in the community. To rush headlong into war without world support under any one of these four conditions violates every principle and every ideal on which this great Nation is founded and on which a free and democratic world exists. In review of these four principles, there is no question that Iraq did not directly attack America. The evidence is also clear that Iraq was not an accomplice with the al Qaeda attacks on America. If there was any complicity by Iraq and Saddam Hussein, I am confident the President would have addressed this complicity in his U.N. address or in Monday's speech to the American people. In the classified briefings, no one could document with any certainty Iraq's complicity in the attacks on America. There is no dispute that Iraq is not an immediate imminent military threat to the United States at this time. Some people would argue Saddam Hussein will give biological, chemical or nuclear weapons when obtained to terrorist groups, but there has been no credible evidence provided to House Members of these weapons being supplied to terrorists. Individuals may still argue that we must assume that Iraq must have an accomplice with the al Qaeda attacks of September 11. If we wish to make this assumption, and it is only an assumption, not fact, then the President already has the authority to use ``all necessary and appropriate force against Iraq.'' If Saddam Hussein and Iraq are directly or indirectly responsible in any way with the attacks of September 11, the President has the authorization to take whatever means necessary to bring them to justice. The authority was given to the President just 3 days after the cowardly attacks on our country. The link between the September 11 attacks and Saddam Hussein is so tangential even the President cannot justify military action against Saddam Hussein and Iraq based on complicity. The strongest claim for military action against Iraq is its continued defiance of international law since the 1991 Gulf War cease-fire. It is on this principle that President Bush went to the U.N. to seek their approval to use the U.S. military to enforce U.N. resolutions against Iraq. The legal, ethical and moral justification to get rid of Saddam Hussein and invade Iraq is enforcement of international law, the U.N. resolutions. The United States has never invoked a first strike invasion of another nation based on a fear of what might happen tomorrow. Now is not the time for a first strike policy based on fear, but let us strike with the support of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, with a multinational force to once and for all rid the world of Saddam Hussein. If we now allow the U.S. military to invade a nation or change a regime because of fear, then the goals of terrorism have been accomplished. If we allow the U.S. to become a first-strike nation in the name of defeating terrorism because of the possibility of future terrorist attacks, this opens the world to a Pandora's box of selected conflicts around the world. The U.S. would lose its moral, ethical and legal grounds and its stature to protest or to prevent, for example, Russia from invading Georgia to hunt down Chechnya rebels, Pakistan from invading India, or China from invading Taiwan. In our world, terrorism would now be defined and determined by the aggressor nation. The United States would lose its legal and moral ability to protest, as it did in 1979, the Soviet army's invasion of Afghanistan. The situation in Iraq must be addressed, but we must not be seen as moving forward unilaterally, and we must not alienate our allies who support it and fought with us in the Persian Gulf War.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an important partner in the education, economy and culture of the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Bay de Noc Community College on its 40th anniversary. Bay de Noc Community College became a reality when the citizens of Delta County Michigan authorized and taxed themselves to create their community college. The citizens of Delta County had the foresight to understand how important higher education is to students and communities. Bay College, as it is known, has become an integral part of the area economy. Students gain valuable knowledge and employers gain better educated employees. The community as a whole also benefits economically, culturally, and intellectually from Bay College. Many cultural offerings are presented to the public through the college. Bay College also provides technology and many other services to the community. The gateway to self improvement is education and Bay de Noc Community College is an invaluable asset to the central Upper Peninsula. When Bay College first opened its doors in the fall of 1963, approximately two hundred students attended classes at the old Escanaba Area High School building. Since then Bay College has grown to an enrollment of over 2,300 students attending classes in eight buildings on a 150-acre campus at the northeast comer of the city of Escanaba. Bay College provides an excellent opportunity for students who wish to obtain an advanced education certification, a 2-year associate degree or a solid start towards a 4-year degree. Other students prefer to begin their pursuit of a bachelors degree at Bay College because of its financial value and the less intimidating atmosphere. Other students learn valuable skills and trades that allow them to enter the workforce with their associate degree from Bay College. Both 4-year and 2-year students receive a solid education at a reasonable tuition rate that prepares them for a career and a life time. Other students simply take classes at Bay College for personal enrichment. The common benefit to all these types of students is that they do not have to drive far to learn and grow. In fact Mr. Speaker, even though I already held a 2-year degree, I still enrolled in Bay de Noc Community College to enhance my job skills as an Escanaba police officer. Those college classes I completed at Bay de Noc Community College still serve me as a member of the United States Congress. My wife, Laurie, holds two associate degrees from Bay de Noc that assist her everyday as an elected official. Mr. Speaker, on October 10, 2002, Bay de Noc Community College will celebrate its 40th anniversary. I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting, a great community asset, Bay de Noc Community College as it celebrates its past and focuses on our future. Together, we all prosper.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time for this opportunity to speak in support of expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Mr. Speaker, I introduced H. Res. 253 to commend the Slovak Republic for its progress towards political and economic liberty and efforts to meet the guidelines of prospective NATO membership. Slovakia, once an authoritative regime, embraced a pro-western government in 1998 and freed its citizens from international isolation. On September 21, 2002, the Slovak government successfully held the third free and fair elections since its independence. Over 70 percent of the eligible voters turned out to express their new-found democratic right. The Slovak Republic now stands ready to play an integral part in defense of the free world. As a member of NATO, Slovakia would contribute to protection of member states and significantly benefit the security and peace of Europe and the region as a whole. Slovakia's leaders value the prospect of serving in our military alliance, while its citizens align themselves with NATO's common values and democratic mission. The NATO summit to discuss enlargement is scheduled for November 23, 2002, in Prague. That is why this resolution is so timely. I thank the chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde); the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos); the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly); and the ranking member, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Hilliard) for moving this resolution forward, because this resolution demonstrates that, among the other European countries vying for membership, Slovakia boasts the highest gross domestic product and a key geographical advantage, surrounded by other NATO member states. Let us send a clear message that Slovakia would make an excellent partner and deserves to be counted among the newest members of NATO. On a personal note, my ancestors are from Slovakia, so I am proud to present this resolution to the House for its consideration today. So I ask all Members to support H. Res. 253 and urge our international community to give Slovakia's bid for NATO membership new consideration.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill. This legislation, H.R. 4600, says if we cap lawsuit damages, everything will be okay; but in this bill, once again, the majority party has gone way too far. In this area, as they have in so many other areas, the right to sue is being attacked as the root of all evil and stopping Americans from having access and their day in court. It is not the magic cure-all as the majority party would make it out to be. In fact, when we eliminate and take away the incentive to behave or to be sued, we eliminate deterrence. And we have gone too far. This is not just malpractice. This is product liability. This is nursing home care. It is all rolled into this one big bill. I understand and I sympathize with those doctors facing huge premiums, but this bill is not the answer they are seeking. We went to offer an amendment, the antitrust, to take the antitrust exemption that insurance companies enjoy so they cannot jack up those premiums 200, 300 percent. They can because they can all get together. They are not subject to monopoly laws and anti-trust laws. And of course we were denied because this is a closed rule. Also we heard the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo) say that if you think that this bill is the answer to the malpractice problem, we need to look no further than California, which has a law in place for the last 26 years and this bill is claimed to be done and modeled after that California law. California medical malpractice insurance problems have not disappeared because of the law they passed 26 years ago. They still have it. It did not work. The focus should not be just this simplistic answer of putting a cap on lawsuits and everything would be okay. In Michigan we did this 10 years ago. Many of the provisions of this bill were in Michigan's bill passed in the early 90's. Michigan is now considered one of the States, once again, in medical malpractice crisis because the premiums have risen so much. If caps do not work, it is time we look at this crisis from a new focus, a new set of eyes; and what we have to do is start looking at why and look for ways to prevent malpractice.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, since the last speaker brought up Michigan, I thought I would bring it up. Even with our caps in Michigan, our premiums for our doctors are higher than those States without caps. If California has gone up 167 percent in the last few years and the rest of country has gone up 500 percent for malpractice premiums, is it not time we took away the anti-trust exemption for the insurance companies so they cannot go up 500 percent when the rate of inflation is 2 or 3 percent? Why are they going up 500 percent? It is not the lawsuits. It is the stock market, the Enrons and all the other things. When St. Paul pulls $1.5 billion out of their reserves, they have to make it up someway, and they make it up on the backs of doctors.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of this conference report, which contains a bill that I have worked on for several years, the James Guelff and Chris McCurley Body Armor Act of 2002. I introduced this bill with Asa Hutchinson and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), and thanks to their strong support of this issue and the hard work of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner), the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), and Senator Feinstein, this bill will finally be enacted into law. We are providing invaluable assistance to our Nation's law enforcement at a time when their mission is even more important. Violent felons will be prohibited from owning body armor, and serious crimes committed while wearing body armor will be punished more severely. Criminals wear body armor in the commission of crimes so they can outgun our law enforcement officers and facilitate their criminal intent. This must be stopped. We cannot allow criminals to have an advantage over the men and women that put their lives on the line every day to protect society. The days of the Wild West are over, and gunfights have no place in our society. I want to thank the Nation's law enforcement that has rallied behind our bill. The Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Troopers Coalition, and the International Union of Police Associations have provided invaluable support to the bill, as have numerous police departments across the Nation, including Los Angeles and New York. But I think the greatest thanks goes to Lee Guelff, who has worked tirelessly on this cause in the name of his brother. Lee has done much and sacrificed more, and today's action serves as a tribute to his efforts. Lee's advocacy has resulted in the passage of similar provisions in numerous State legislatures, including my own State of Michigan. James Guelff, Chris McCurley, and many other law enforcement officers have been tragically killed by criminals wearing body armor. After the events of September 11, our law enforcement officials have been called upon to go even further in protecting this great Nation, so I am pleased that by passing the James Guelff and Chris McCurley Body Armor Act of 2002, we are standing up for them as they rise every day to protect us. Mr. Speaker, I thank all the people associated with this committee for including our bill.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I wish to add my voice to the multitude of Members honoring our Nation and its heroes on September 11, 2002. Mr. Speaker, although I was back in my district taking part in events commemorating the impact September 11th has had on all of us, I would have voted ``Yes'' on passage of H. Con. Res. 464. Due to a technical mixup, my name was not added as a cosponsor of this worthy bill, and I wish to state my intention here that I fully support this resolution and its sentiments. As a former law enforcement officer, I know too well the toll such tragedy takes on individuals--their lives, their families, their future, and I know too well how difficult, yet how necessary it is to ensure like-minded individuals are prevented from carrying out further attacks. This resolution makes it clear that while the passage of a year has not softened our memories, it has shown that we will not bow down to terrorism. We must find those responsible for the deaths of so many--including my constituent Army Major Kip Taylor who perished in the Pentagon on that day a year ago--and ensure they face the consequences of their actions. September 11 brought out the worst in our enemies. Yet it also brought out the best in our citizens. That is what we are honoring today.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, on September 11 I was in my district taking part in September 11 ceremonies and remembrances and I missed rollcall vote number 384. Had I been present, I would have voted an emphatic ``yea'' on this vote expressing the sense of Congress on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on September 11, 2001.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, This morning, September 12, my plane back to Washington was delayed and I missed rollcall vote number 385 on the motion to go to conference on the State Department authorization, H.R. 1646. On this vote I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a man who was a union member for over forty three years and a union leader in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for almost that long. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gary Quick on the occasion of his retirement on June 30, 2002. Gary Quick was born in downstate Michigan on October 28, 1940 and moved with his family to Rapid River in the Upper Peninsula as a child. Gary graduated from Rapid River High School in 1959. Gary's union career began when he accepted a position as a sub assembler at the Harnischfeger Corporation plant in Escanaba, Michigan on May 4, 1959. With the new position came membership in United Auto Workers Local 632. Gary came from a union family so he understood and valued the importance of union membership and union leadership. Gary was elected by members of Local 632 as Steward in 1963 serving until 1966. Gary maintained the respect of the union rank and file and was elected Vice President of U.A.W. Local 632 in 1967. After two years as Vice President, Gary was elected President of Local 632 in 1969. Mr. Speaker, Gary is not just a leader in his union, he is also a patriot who has a great love of his country. While serving his brothers and sisters as president of local 632, Gary also served his country as a United States Army Reservist. Gary was honored to be sent to the U.A.W. Constitutional Convention as a delegate seven times between the years 1966 and 1983. He also served as a delegate to the Trades and Labor Council. In addition to his union activities, Gary served as a Commissioner on the Delta County Road Commission for six years. The United Auto Workers Union recognized Gary's union leadership skills and service and appointed him to a union staff position as an International Representative in the United Auto Worker's Escanaba Sub- Region I-D office in April of 1989. While serving as an International Representative, Gary successfully negotiated union contracts in a wide variety of employment settings including the health care, higher education, automotive, and aerospace industries. Not one to shy away from public service, Gary also served on many community and industry boards and councils such as the Blue Cross Blue Shield Advisory Board, the Labor management Board, and the Private Industry Council. After attending his last U.A.W. Constitutional Convention this year, Gary announced his retirement effective June 30, 2002. Mr. Speaker, when Gary was asked to recall the biggest influence in his union career, he responded that former United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther was the most influential figure in his career. The late Walter Reuther, who was known to call everyone he met brother, made many profound statements in his lifelong effort to better the lives of workers everywhere. One such statement inscribed on Reuther's statue in the Walter and May Reuther Gardens at the Black Lake U.A.W. Educational Center in my district reads: ``There is no greater calling than to serve your brother. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well.'' Mr. Speaker, brother Gary Quick responded to his great calling and brother Quick has served his brothers and sisters well. While Gary may be retiring from his active position with the union, I know that he will retain his love and support for his brothers and sisters in labor. Gary will now be able to focus his activities toward his wife Beverly and stepdaughter Tina, who, together with friends, relatives and union brothers and sisters celebrated Gary's retirement at a dinner on September 7, 2002. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in saluting Gary Quick, a true personal friend and a friend of labor in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for a highly successful community--based crime prevention program known as National Night Out. NNO, which will occur on August 6, 2002, is widely known as America's night out against crime where people in thousands of communities take to the streets to support their communities. Since 1984, the NNO has promoted neighborhood watch programs and established police community partnerships in the fight against crime. It has expanded from a program involving 2.5 million people in 400 communities in 1984 to nearly 33 million people in 10,000 communities in 2002. National Night Out, which receives part of its funding from the Byrne Grant program, is one of the fastest growing, cost effective community anti-crime programs in the nation. National Night Out was created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), a nonprofit, community crime prevention membership organization in Wynnewood, PA. NATW develops relationships between the local community and law enforcement officers in order to build safer and more secure neighborhoods to reduce crime, decrease local violence, and lower the demand for drugs. NATW provides information, program support and technical assistance to its associated members, which include Neighborhood, Crime, Community, Town and Block Watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention organizations, businesses, civic groups, and community volunteers. I greatly support the mission of NATW and National Night Out, and in past Congresses have introduced resolutions in recognition of NNO, and have supported continued funding for the program. The House passed resolutions in support of National Night Out in 2000 and 2001. This year I have again introduced a resolution expressing support of the House for this important event. H. Res. 437 commends National Night Out and encourages the President and his administration to focus appropriate attention on neighborhood crime prevention and community policing, and to coordinate federal efforts to participate in ``National Night Out'', including supporting local efforts, neighborhood watches and local officials to provide homeland security. I am grateful to Chairman Sensenbrenner and the Judiciary Committee for last week's voice vote passage of this resolution, and I thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for his great help on this issue. Recently the Senate passed Senators Biden and Specter's companion resolution on NNO, S. Res. 284. The Senators have also authored an op- ed that appeared in several newspapers, highlighting NNO, neighborhood watch, volunteerism and community-crime prevention, I commend the op-ed written by Senators Biden and Specter and request that it be included in the Record. Neighborhood watch and community crime prevention are especially important in the aftermath of September 11th and I encourage my colleagues to participate in NNO on August 6th. How Neighbors Can Help Thwart Terrorism (By Joseph R. Biden and Arlen Specter) Remember when neighbors knew neighbors? Remember front porches? Remember hot summer nights when families sat on the front stoop and talked over the fence? On Aug. 6 of this year, more than 33 million people in 9,700 communities from all 50 states will participate in the 19th-annual National Night Out to revitalize the America's neighborhood spirit and remind us of a time when neighbors routinely looked out for one another, and everyone knew the cop on the beat. This year, as our nation recovers from the shock of Sept. 11, we encourage everyone to participate. This will be a National Night Out Against Crime, and we urge every citizen from coast to coast to turn on outside lights, to took over the fence and open the gates, get to know your neighbors, meet with local police, and participate in block parties and parades. In concert with the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out has been at the forefront of community crime prevention and neighborhood watch for nearly two decades, encouraging citizens to become active supporters and caretakers of their communities. The effort involves citizens in all 50 states who volunteer to make a difference by leading anti-crime efforts in their communities--restoring the sense that we are all members of a community and that our common concerns and shared values are as important as individual rights. When we act together, and look out for one another, our communities become safer and fundamentally better places in which to live and raise our families. One of the reasons we so strongly support the concept of neighborhood watch is that it literally grew up in our back yard. The seeds of National Night Out were planted in our tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware nearly two decades ago. What began in a few mid-Atlantic states has now grown to become a national grass-roots event supporting communities organized in local chapters to fight crime year round. It is an amazing event when you consider that currently one out of every nine Americans participates. We believe in a neighborhood watch concept because it works. Studies show that 95 percent of all police arrests are the direct result of a citizen phone call. They also show that neighborhood watch programs effectively lower crime rates. Neighborhood Watch programs, like those championed during the National Night Out event, have been a valuable part of crime and drug prevention for decades. Today, crime watch programs also can play an important role in heightening awareness to combat terrorism and uniting neighborhoods to respond and assist one another in the event of emergencies. At a time when homeland security is on the minds of everyone, we support every effort to bring Americans together by persuading them to volunteer in their communities. With the nation on a permanent terror alert, neighborhood volunteers can play a crucial role in identifying potential dangers and, if need be, alerting law enforcement and emergency officials. Psychologically, the knowledge that trusted members of our community are providing an extra measure of security should reassure everyone. We applaud every effort to support Neighborhood Watch because it is about building community, preventing crime, and, now, thwarting terrorism. Working side by side with local law enforcement, neighborhood crime watch groups are an invaluable resource. The tragic events of last Sept. 11 reminded us of the importance of family and friends, faith, neighbors, and communities. It also reminded us how closely all of America's communities are linked. Every year, National Night Out serves as a great opportunity for Americans to get to know their neighbors, become involved in their communities, and show their sense of patriotism. This Aug. 6, National Night Out will bring Americans together again to help make a difference, one doorstep at a time. Let's all be part of it.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot about crime this morning, but let us remember it was this very House of Representatives that gave the green light to corporate executives to lie to their boards and to their shareholders; and we provided them with a safe harbor. It was called the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that was part of the Contract on America. It was vetoed by President Clinton and his veto was overridden. Anything we try to do in this bill regarding the punishing of criminals is just a legislative Band-Aid unless and until we restore shareholders' rights. We will not restore shareholders' rights or investors' confidence until we repeal the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This bill is nothing more than a feel-good bill. It never strikes at the root of the problem, of corporate corruption and corporate fraud. We have to repeal the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. There are bills out there, like the Shareholders and Employees Rights Restoration Act of 2002, and we cannot even get a hearing on it, let alone a vote on it.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, there is anger and indignation all across this Nation about corporate shenanigans. This anger has manifested itself in a wide range of legislative proposals. But let us remember, Mr. Speaker, that it was this very House that gave the green light to corporate executives to lie to their board and their stockholders. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 was part of the Contract With America. It was vetoed by President Clinton but was passed over that veto. Mr. Speaker, we turned these corporate carnivores loose by shredding the ability of shareholders to hold executives accountable for their misstatements and misdeeds. And we put the stake in the heart of shareholders' rights by passing the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998. This act threw all security fraud class action suits into Federal Court where they were subject to the terms of the PSLRA. Anything we try is a legislative Band-Aid until and unless we restore shareholder rights. Support the Shareholder and Employee Rights Restoration Act of 2002, which the Republican leadership refuses to allow to come to this floor.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity on Memorial Day 2002 to attend an extremely moving and inspirational event in my congressional district. On that day, in the small town of Hermansville in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, members of Chapter 571 of the Vietnam Veterans of America dedicated the Thomas St. Onge Vietnam Veterans Museum and Memorial. Creating this museum and memorial has been a project based on love, dedication and pride. You might even say, Mr. Speaker, that this museum is a structure built literally on donations, because the land for the museum itself was donated by local residents Richard and Anne Lungerhausen, and planning was done in the clubhouse, a structure donated by Wells Fargo. I said this was a project based on love. Tommy St. Onge was killed in 1969 in the bitter fighting in the A Shau valley, a battle for control of the northern highlands of South Vietnam. Tommy's death was one of many tragedies recounted in the book Hamburger Hill by Samuel Zaffiri. Although he died more than three decades ago, Tommy is remembered with love by his peers. Love and fellowship permeate this project, Mr. Speaker. The dedication ceremony booklet quotes Major Michael O'Donnell, himself a Vietnam casualty, who wrote lines that are so well known to Vietnam veterans, ``Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.'' This museum does just that, Mr. Speaker. It takes those things ``they have left,'' as Major O'Donnell said--including artifacts as large as a Bell U-H1 ``Huey'' helicopter and an M-60 Main Battle Tank--and it uses them to teach new generations. And what does this museum teach about the Vietnam War, and the men and women who served and died there? The 34 members of Chapter 571 have this to say about the mission and goal of their museum and memorial: ``Our wish is for all people to remember them as they were, forever young, husbands, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and friends. We hope to educate the public, especially those who were too young to understand what this war was all about.'' History has yet to truly judge this war, Mr. Speaker, but we know there are lessons to be learned right now. The single greatest lesson we can teach our children is that it was not for lack of dedication, faith, patriotism, comradeship or discipline on the part of the American soldier, sailor or airman that South Vietnam ultimately fell to the North Vietnamese army. Our fighting men and women, who were sometimes savagely and terribly treated by opponents of the war at home, went to Vietnam in answer to the call to duty. There they suffered grievous wounds, the loss of comrades, and sometimes the loss of faith and idealism, but they answered the call to duty! In the history of America's wars, here has been no higher honor gained, nor greater sacrifice made, than that of the veterans of our war in Vietnam! In the small town of Hermansville in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the members of Chapter 571 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and their families and other club members have worked since 1996, donating thousands of hours and thousands of their own dollars in pursuit of the dream of celebrating this honor and sacrifice. Their dream is not complete, Mr. Speaker. Jerry Ayotte, the chapter's president, described for me the concept of a museum that will one day have a rotunda with four wings to include personal mementos and military memorabilia from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. I encourage you and all our colleagues to visit this museum, Mr. Speaker. It's located at N 16462 Linden Street, and, until a regular staff can be hired, it's open only on Sunday afternoons, when two volunteers are available. Hermansville is a small town, but it was small towns like this across America that supplied our heroes in Vietnam, and that continue to support our military with their taxes and--the greatest sacrifice--with their own sons and daughters. When you are there, you can meet and thank--as I have had a chance to meet and thank--the members of Chapter 571 for their efforts to keep alive both the memories of fallen comrades and the conviction that these comrades did not fall in vain, because they offered their lives in the belief that they fought for America's greatest ideals of freedom. Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 571 and their spouses are: Richard Adams and his wife Ann, Peter and Karen Anderla, Ronald and Debbie Augustine, Gerald and Patti Ayotte, Calvin and Cindy Baird, Roger Clark, Edward J. Donahue, Darryl D. and Gretchen Fossen, William N. Isetts, Robert and Cathy Laroche, Bernard E. and Brenda Loukkala, Russell Peters, Dale I. and Sharon Peterson, Dennis C. and Beth Peterson, Edwin L. Plettner, Gary F. Poupore, Terrance L. Richer, Wayne J. and Linda Rochon, Lyle R. and Jo Schoen, Norman J. Schreiner, Louis R. Schuette, Roger L. and Priscilla Schuette, Peter Tanguay, Ronald D. and Susie Tomasi, Roger J. and Randy Treves, Terreance W. and Rosemary Trudell, Donald J. Trulock, Thomas R. and Sally Unger, Paul C. Vinzant, James R. and Rebecca Wash, James E. Watson, Edwin R. Whytsell, Edward A. and Maryanne Zahn, and Ronald E. Zahn.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. With all due respect to the last speaker, this is not a perfect bill; this is not even a good bill. Through all this debate, I went back to my office tonight and listened to all this. I pulled two letters from my district, one from Vanderbilt, Michigan. A couple there has $6,288 per year in drug costs. Under the Democratic plan, if we would ever get a chance to vote on it, they would pay $1,637 and they would save $4,650, or 74 percent of their drug savings. Underneath their plan, their bill here tonight, they would have to pay $4,096. They would only save $2,192, or 35 percent of their drug costs. The other couple I pulled was from Travers City, Michigan. They have $3,240 per year on drug costs. Under the Democratic plan, they would pay $1,028 and save $2,212 or 68 percent. Under the Republican plan, they would pay $2,536 and save only $704, or 22 percent. Do the math. The Republican plan just does not add up.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, it was in 1973 that Brother Paul Nomellini, a professed religious brother in the Congregation of the Holy Cross of Notre Dame, was flying to Washington D.C. to attend a conference here in Georgetown. Then a teacher in the inner city of Chicago, Brother Paul on that flight met and struck up a conversation with a former member of this body and a former member of my delegation, then-Congressman Gerald Ford. They shared their flight in the innocence of travelers unaware of their real destination. By the end of the year, Congressman Ford, the politician, had become Vice President Ford and was on his way to becoming President Ford. Brother Nomellini, the teacher and religious brother, would that same year acknowledge his calling to the priesthood. He would in 1973 embark on the path to Holy Orders that would eventually lead him to be leader of the congregation of St. Mary Queen of Peace Church in Kingsford, Michigan. Because our futures are so uncertain, Mr. Speaker, it's best we entrust our lives to Good Hands, and I'm sure that President Ford as well as Father Nomellini have long acknowledge the Lord's role in helping to shape their lives and destinies. So I rise tonight, Mr. Speaker, to report that a major chapter in the life of Father Nomellini will close on July 1, this coming weekend, when the good pastor marks his 25th anniversary as a priest and goes into retirement. Despite his years of teaching in Illinois and Ohio, Father Nomellini is a true son of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He is a native of Hancock on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula and is a graduate of Hancock High School. He attended Hancock's Soumi College--now Finlandia University--before going on to the University of Notre Dame, where he received his bachelor's degree in English and took his vows as a religious brother. He later earned a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a master's degree in theology from Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. An ordained priest since 1977, Father Nomellini, has served as pastor of the St. Mary Queen of Peace Parish in Kingsford for nine years. Before that, he served in parishes across the Upper Peninsula, including St. Peters Cathedral and St. Michael Parish in Marquette, St. Joseph and Nativity parishes in Sault Ste. Marie, St. Mary & St. Joseph Parish in Iron Mountain, St. Joseph Parish in Rudyard, Holy Family Mission in Barbeau, Sacred Heart Parish in Schaffer, St. Michael Parish in Perronville, St. Joseph Mission in Foster City, and St. George Parish in Bark River. In a recent interview with the Iron Mountain Daily News, Father Nomellini told reporter Linda Lobeck of his great love of teaching, but he spoke with the greatest pride of the many accomplishments and the community commitment of his Kingsford parishioners. From church improvements and expansions to local outreach programs, this parish surely reflects the spirit and love of its priest for the community. Mr. Speaker, my wife Laurie and I will attend Father Nomellini's 25th Anniversary and Retirement Party on July 1. We will join with parishioners in lamenting his departure from the parish, and we will wish him well on his planned retirement projects, which, he told the Daily News, include ``reading, listening to music, traveling and going to musicals and plays.'' Maybe, he said, he'll exercise that love of English and write a book or play or two. But we'll wink privately, Mr. Speaker, because we know that we are all travelers, innocent of the knowledge only God holds for our futures, and God may yet have revealed another plan for Father Nomellini. In the past I nominated him to be Chaplain of the U.S. House, and he has attended the National Prayer Breakfast here in Washington, D.C. One thing I know for sure--Father Paul will go where God and his heart command him. So I ask you and our House colleagues to join me in wishing Father Paul Nomellini our greatest thanks for his life of service as a teacher, a pastor, and a guiding friend, and I ask you to join me in wishing him all the best in his retirement. May God grant him many wonderful years.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to call your attention and that of our House colleagues to a ceremony that will take place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on July 3-6. On those days, with all the fanfare and activities that local residents have been planning for a year, the community of Bergland will celebrate its centennial. As Bergland residents frequently note for distant acquaintances, this is a small community that's easy to find on a map of Michigan. Just find Lake Gogebic, a lake in the western end of the U.P. that looks like an upside-down boot, and Bergland is at the toe. On the map, it's just another black dot--you need to see Bergland as I have seen it so many times, passing through on my way west on M-28 to Ironwood or turning north on M-64 to go to Ontonagon. Then you would see a tidy village of wood-framed structures, tucked in the forest on the shore of a lake. It's the kind of friendly community that says, ``Why are you rushing by? Stop here a while, and your life will be enriched and at peace.'' Like so many northern Michigan communities, Bergland is a village created by the lumber industry. In 1902 Gunlek Bergland, then age 55, and his wife Hanna signed the Plat of the Village of Bergland, giving birth to a community that was located within the 18,000 acres of timberland Bergland had obtained. He had already constructed a sawmill and a short-line railroad into his timber holdings, and the new town's location along the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad ensured his wood products would find distant markets. The town of Bergland was born at a unique time in Michigan's lumbering history. Most of the virgin strand of giant white pine had been harvested, but the land Gunlek Bergland purchased was far enough away from the Lake Michigan shore that it had remained uncut. This North Woods stood at town's edge. Charles Freed, a 12th grade graduate of Bergland's first school, built in 1904, once reminisced about this timber stand, saying, ``Within a few feet of the rear of the building there stood a forest which had not yet been touched by the ax. `` It's quite amazing, Mr. Speaker, when you consider that within the 20th Century and right in the Midwest, a community was being built on a forest frontier. It would not be frontier for long, because 20th Century changes were having an impact on the lumber industry. Witness the fact that Gustav Bergland built an actual town for families, which in itself was a change from the tradition of the 1800s, when lumberjacks spent all winter living in isolated lumber camps to do their work. In the 19th Century, logs were floated down rivers to communities like my home town of Menominee, where sawmills cut them and shipped the lumber south by water to growing cities like Milwaukee and Chicago. In the dynamic new 20th Century, railroads reached inland to small communities like Bergland to bring out wood products. Hardwood was now needed by the Upper Peninsula mines, and the growing auto industry needed lumber, too, as much as 250 board feet--the equivalent of a 27-inch diameter, eight-foot-long log--for each vehicle produced. Those boom days are gone, but Bergland and its forest heritage remain. Forest products are still an important regional industry, a managed industry that recognizes northern Michigan's forests as a renewable resource, Bergland stands surrounded by the million-acre Ottawa National Forest, an area that is also rich in recreational opportunities, Residents and former residents of Bergland will gather in July to celebrate this history, and they will also honor some of the community's oldest residents. Among those to be honored are Walter Borseth, 90, and Stan Lackie, 85, both of whom were born of Bergland pioneering families and have spent their entire lives in Bergland. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our House colleagues to join me in wishing the best to the people of Bergland on this celebration of their centennial, and in saying a hearty, ``Well Done! `` to the Bergland Centennial Planning Committee of Gay Frulik, Junior Gray, Winnie Borseth, and Tom Borseth. We hope many former Bergland residents are drawn back home for this celebration, so that families may be reunited, old friendships renewed, and a remarkable quality of life rediscovered..

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to call your attention to the fact that on Sept. 28, 2002, the retirement of a highly distinguished officer in the United States Air Force--and a lifelong friend of mine-- will become effective. The actual last day of service for Col. James S. Davis, Director of Operations for Alaskan Command at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, is June 28, which is why I wish to speak tonight about Jim and his career of service to this Nation. It certainly dates us, Mr. Speaker, when we recall with fondness those students in our class whose skill and commitment to high school studies, particularly math and science, was marked by a plastic pocket protector in the shirt and a slide rule on a belt clip. Jim Davis was one such student, but Jim was also uniquely friendly and extroverted, and his own academic aptitude never set him apart and away from his classmates. All Jim's classmates shared the same thought: Jim Davis will go very far. What we didn't know, Mr. Speaker, is that he would go very high and very fast, as well. Jim was commissioned an Air Force officer in 1975, when he graduated from the University of Michigan with an engineering degree. After completing pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, he was assigned as a T-37 instructor pilot with the German Air Force pilot training program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. In 1980, he was selected to fly the F-16 fighter at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and then was posted to a series of duty stations with jobs of ever- increasing responsibility: Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Kunsan Air Base, Republic of South Korea; Luke Air Force Base, Arizona; Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; and Osan Air Base, Republic of South Korea. Jim has logged more than 3,400 flight hours--more than 2,200 of them in the F-16--and he flew 29 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. That campaign earned Jim both the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Jim has also been awarded an oak leaf cluster for the Air Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters. From June 1996 to August 1998, Jim worked in our own backyard, Mr. Speaker, serving at the Pentagon on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, before returning to Nellis Air Force Base, where he served as commander of the 414th Combat Training Squadron and then commander of the 57th Operations Group. It's been a long and distinguished career for the brilliant young math and science wizard from Gladstone High School, Although our paths have never crossed as much as I would have liked, I still frequently see his folks, Edward and Millie, and, in fact, the Davis home on the comer of Montana and 12th in Gladstone is one of the milestones on my annual 4th of July parade walk through the community. I've known all the Davis family, including his brother Tom, who lives with his wife Cindi just north of Gladstone in Brampton Township; brother Mike, who lives with his wife Teri in Colorado; and Jim's sister Jean, who lives with her parents. Our floor schedule won't allow me to join Jim at his retirement bash in Alaska, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish Jim and his wife Camella all the best in Jim's retirement years, and I ask you and our House colleagues to join with me in offering this distinguished career officer a hearty, ``Thanks . . . and well done!''